1 Nephi 1
Chapter 1
1 Nephi 1:1
1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was
taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen
many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having
been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a
great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God,
therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.
1 Nephi 1:2
2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which
consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the
Egyptians.
1 Nephi 1:3
3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it
with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.
1 Nephi 1:4
4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of
the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having
dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there
came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must
repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.
1 Nephi 1:5
5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went
forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in
behalf of his people.
1 Nephi 1:6
6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a
pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and
heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he
did quake and tremble exceedingly.
1 Nephi 1:7
7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at
Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with
the Spirit and the things which he had seen.
1 Nephi 1:8
8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away
in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he
saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless
concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising
their God.
1 Nephi 1:9
9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the
midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of
the sun at noon-day.
1 Nephi 1:10
10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their
brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.
1 Nephi 1:11
11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth;
and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him
a book, and bade him that he should read.
1 Nephi 1:12
12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the
Spirit of the Lord.
1 Nephi 1:13
13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen
thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read
concerning Jerusalem--that it should be destroyed, and the
inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many
should be carried away captive into Babylon.
1 Nephi 1:14
14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen
many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto
the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God
Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and
goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth,
and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who
come unto thee that they shall perish!
1 Nephi 1:15
15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the
praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole
heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea,
which the Lord had shown unto him.
1 Nephi 1:16
16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things
which my father hath written, for he hath written many things
which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written
many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of
which I shall not make a full account.
1 Nephi 1:17
17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days.
Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon
plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I
have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account
of mine own life.
1 Nephi 1:18
18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord
had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea,
concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth
among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them
concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.
1 Nephi 1:19
19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the
things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of
their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that
the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he
read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of the
Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.
1 Nephi 1:20
20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with
him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast
out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that
they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto
you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom
he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even
unto the power of deliverance.
1 Nephi 2
Chapter 2
1 Nephi 2:1
1 For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my
father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou
Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because
thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things
which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.
1 Nephi 2:2
2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in
a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the
wilderness.
1 Nephi 2:3
3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the
Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.
1 Nephi 2:4
4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And
he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold,
and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with
him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and
departed into the wilderness.
1 Nephi 2:5
5 And he came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea;
and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer
the Red Sea; and he did travel in the wilderness with his family,
which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who
were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.
1 Nephi 2:6
6 And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in
the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a
river of water.
1 Nephi 2:7
7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made
an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.
1 Nephi 2:8
8 And it came to pass that he called the name of the river,
Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the
borders near the mouth thereof.
1 Nephi 2:9
9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied
into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O
that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running
into the fountain of all righteousness!
1 Nephi 2:10
10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like
unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping
the commandments of the Lord!
1 Nephi 2:11
11 Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and
Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their
father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of
the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance,
and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to
perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because
of the foolish imaginations of his heart.
1 Nephi 2:12
12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur
against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not
the dealings of that God who had created them.
1 Nephi 2:13
13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city,
could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And
they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to
take away the life of my father.
1 Nephi 2:14
14 And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the
valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until
their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them,
that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he
commanded them.
1 Nephi 2:15
15 And my father dwelt in a tent.
1 Nephi 2:16
16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young,
nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great
desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry
unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my
heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by
my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my
brothers.
1 Nephi 2:17
17 And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which
the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came
to pass that he believed in my words.
1 Nephi 2:18
18 But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my
words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts
I cried unto the Lord for them.
1 Nephi 2:19
19 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying:
Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast
sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.
1 Nephi 2:20
20 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall
prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land
which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above
all other lands.
1 Nephi 2:21
21 And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they
shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
1 Nephi 2:22
22 And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt
be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren.
1 Nephi 2:23
23 For behold, in that day that they shall rebel against me, I
will curse them even with a sore curse, and they shall have no
power over thy seed except they shall rebel against me also.
1 Nephi 2:24
24 And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a
scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of
remembrance.
1 Nephi 3
Chapter 3
1 Nephi 3:1
1 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, returned from speaking with
the Lord, to the tent of my father.
1 Nephi 3:2
2 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, saying: Behold I
have dreamed a dream, in the which the Lord hath commanded me
that thou and thy brethren shall return to Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 3:3
3 For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a
genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of
brass.
1 Nephi 3:4
4 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy
brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records,
and bring them down hither into the wilderness.
1 Nephi 3:5
5 And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing
which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it
of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.
1 Nephi 3:6
6 Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord,
because thou hast not murmured.
1 Nephi 3:7
7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will
go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know
that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men,
save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the
thing which he commandeth them.
1 Nephi 3:8
8 And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words
he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of
the Lord.
1 Nephi 3:9
9 And I, Nephi, and my brethren took our journey in the
wilderness, with our tents, to go up to the land of Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 3:10
10 And it came to pass that when we had gone up to the land of
Jerusalem, I and my brethren did consult one with another.
1 Nephi 3:11
11 And we cast lots--who of us should go in unto the house of
Laban. And it came to pass that the lot fell upon Laman; and
Laman went in unto the house of Laban, and he talked with him as
he sat in his house.
1 Nephi 3:12
12 And he desired of Laban the records which were engraven upon
the plates of brass, which contained the genealogy of my father.
1 Nephi 3:13
13 And behold, it came to pass that Laban was angry, and thrust
him out from his presence; and he would not that he should have
the records. Wherefore, he said unto him: Behold thou art a
robber, and I will slay thee.
1 Nephi 3:14
14 But Laman fled out of his presence, and told the things which
Laban had done, unto us. And we began to be exceedingly
sorrowful, and my brethren were about to return unto my father in
the wilderness.
1 Nephi 3:15
15 But behold I said unto them that: As the Lord liveth, and as
we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness
until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath
commanded us.
1 Nephi 3:16
16 Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of
the Lord; therefore let us go down to the land of our father's
inheritance, for behold he left gold and silver, and all manner
of riches. And all this he hath done because of the commandments
of the Lord.
1 Nephi 3:17
17 For he knew that Jerusalem must be destroyed, because of the
wickedness of the people.
1 Nephi 3:18
18 For behold, they have rejected the words of the prophets.
Wherefore, if my father should dwell in the land after he hath
been commanded to flee out of the land, behold, he would also
perish. Wherefore, it must needs be that he flee out of the
land.
1 Nephi 3:19
19 And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these
records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of
our fathers;
1 Nephi 3:20
20 And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have
been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have
been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since
the world began, even down unto this present time.
1 Nephi 3:21
21 And it came to pass that after this manner of language did I
persuade my brethren, that they might be faithful in keeping the
commandments of God.
1 Nephi 3:22
22 And it came to pass that we went down to the land of our
inheritance, and we did gather together our gold, and our silver,
and our precious things.
1 Nephi 3:23
23 And after we had gathered these things together, we went up
again unto the house of Laban.
1 Nephi 3:24
24 And it came to pass that we went in unto Laban, and desired
him that he would give unto us the records which were engraven
upon the plates of brass, for which we would give unto him our
gold, and our silver, and all our precious things.
1 Nephi 3:25
25 And it came to pass that when Laban saw our property, and
that it was exceedingly great, he did lust after it, insomuch
that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he
might obtain our property.
1 Nephi 3:26
26 And it came to pass that we did flee before the servants of
Laban, and we were obliged to leave behind our property, and it
fell into the hands of Laban.
1 Nephi 3:27
27 And it came to pass that we fled into the wilderness, and the
servants of Laban did not overtake us, and we hid ourselves in
the cavity of a rock.
1 Nephi 3:28
28 And it came to pass that Laman was angry with me, and also
with my father; and also was Lemuel, for he hearkened unto the
words of Laman. Wherefore Laman and Lemuel did speak many hard
words unto us, their younger brothers, and they did smite us even
with a rod.
1 Nephi 3:29
29 And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod, behold, an
angel of the Lord came and stood before them, and he spake unto
them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod?
Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you,
and this because of your iniquities? Behold ye shall go up to
Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands.
1 Nephi 3:30
30 And after the angel had spoken unto us, he departed.
1 Nephi 3:31
31 And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again
began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will
deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he
can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?
1 Nephi 4
Chapter 4
1 Nephi 4:1
1 And it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let
us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping
the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all
the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea,
or even than his tens of thousands?
1 Nephi 4:2
2 Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for
he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided
hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of
captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow
and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea.
1 Nephi 4:3
3 Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an
angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go
up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to
destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.
1 Nephi 4:4
4 Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and
did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they did follow me up
until we came without the walls of Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 4:5
5 And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide
themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves,
I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of
Laban.
1 Nephi 4:6
6 And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things
which I should do.
1 Nephi 4:7
7 Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house
of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before
me, for he was drunken with wine.
1 Nephi 4:8
8 And when I came to him I found that it was Laban.
1 Nephi 4:9
9 And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath
thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the
workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the
blade thereof was of the most precious steel.
1 Nephi 4:10
10 And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that
I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time
have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I
might not slay him.
1 Nephi 4:11
11 And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath
delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had
sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken
unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our
property.
1 Nephi 4:12
12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay
him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;
1 Nephi 4:13
13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his
righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than
that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.
1 Nephi 4:14
14 And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered
the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness,
saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments,
they shall prosper in the land of promise.
1 Nephi 4:15
15 Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the
commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they
should have the law.
1 Nephi 4:16
16 And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of
brass.
1 Nephi 4:17
17 And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my
hands for this cause--that I might obtain the records according
to his commandments.
1 Nephi 4:18
18 Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban
by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own
sword.
1 Nephi 4:19
19 And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I
took the garments of Laban and put them upon mine own body; yea,
even every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins.
1 Nephi 4:20
20 And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of
Laban. And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban,
behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the
treasury. And I commanded him in the voice of Laban, that he
should go with me into the treasury.
1 Nephi 4:21
21 And he supposed me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the
garments and also the sword girded about my loins.
1 Nephi 4:22
22 And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he
knowing that his master, Laban, had been out by night among them.
1 Nephi 4:23
23 And I spake unto him as if it had been Laban.
1 Nephi 4:24
24 And I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings,
which were upon the plates of brass, to my elder brethren, who
were without the walls.
1 Nephi 4:25
25 And I also bade him that he should follow me.
1 Nephi 4:26
26 And he, supposing that I spake of the brethren of the church,
and that I was truly that Laban whom I had slain, wherefore he
did follow me.
1 Nephi 4:27
27 And he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the
Jews, as I went forth unto my brethren, who were without the
walls.
1 Nephi 4:28
28 And it came to pass that when Laman saw me he was exceedingly
frightened, and also Lemuel and Sam. And they fled from before
my presence; for they supposed it was Laban, and that he had
slain me and had sought to take away their lives also.
1 Nephi 4:29
29 And it came to pass that I called after them, and they did
hear me; wherefore they did cease to flee from my presence.
1 Nephi 4:30
30 And it came to pass that when the servant of Laban beheld my
brethren he began to tremble, and was about to flee from before
me and return to the city of Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 4:31
31 And now I, Nephi, being a man large in stature, and also
having received much strength of the Lord, therefore I did seize
upon the servant of Laban, and held him, that he should not flee.
1 Nephi 4:32
32 And it came to pass that I spake with him, that if he would
hearken unto my words, as the Lord liveth, and as I live, even so
that if he would hearken unto our words, we would spare his life.
1 Nephi 4:33
33 And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not
fear; that he should be a free man like unto us if he would go
down in the wilderness with us.
1 Nephi 4:34
34 And I also spake unto him, saying: Surely the Lord hath
commanded us to do this thing; and shall we not be diligent in
keeping the commandments of the Lord? Therefore, if thou wilt go
down into the wilderness to my father thou shalt have place with
us.
1 Nephi 4:35
35 And it came to pass that Zoram did take courage at the words
which I spake. Now Zoram was the name of the servant; and he
promised that he would go down into the wilderness unto our
father. Yea, and he also made an oath unto us that he would
tarry with us from that time forth.
1 Nephi 4:36
36 Now we were desirous that he should tarry with us for this
cause, that the Jews might not know concerning our flight into
the wilderness, lest they should pursue us and destroy us.
1 Nephi 4:37
37 And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath unto us,
our fears did cease concerning him.
1 Nephi 4:38
38 And it came to pass that we took the plates of brass and the
servant of Laban, and departed into the wilderness, and journeyed
unto the tent of our father.
1 Nephi 5
Chapter 5
1 Nephi 5:1
1 And it came to pass that after we had come down into the
wilderness unto our father, behold, he was filled with joy, and
also my mother, Sariah, was exceedingly glad, for she truly had
mourned because of us.
1 Nephi 5:2
2 For she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness;
and she also had complained against my father, telling him that
he was a visionary man; saying: Behold thou hast led us forth
from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we
perish in the wilderness.
1 Nephi 5:3
3 And after this manner of language had my mother complained
against my father.
1 Nephi 5:4
4 And it had come to pass that my father spake unto her, saying:
I know that I am a visionary man; for if I had not seen the
things of God in a vision I should not have known the goodness of
God, but had tarried at Jerusalem, and had perished with my
brethren.
1 Nephi 5:5
5 But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which
things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that the Lord will deliver
my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto
us in the wilderness.
1 Nephi 5:6
6 And after this manner of language did my father, Lehi, comfort
my mother, Sariah, concerning us, while we journeyed in the
wilderness up to the land of Jerusalem, to obtain the record of
the Jews.
1 Nephi 5:7
7 And when we had returned to the tent of my father, behold
their joy was full, and my mother was comforted.
1 Nephi 5:8
8 And she spake, saying: Now I know of a surety that the Lord
hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness; yea, and I
also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons, and
delivered them out of the hands of Laban, and given them power
whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath
commanded them. And after this manner of language did she speak.
1 Nephi 5:9
9 And it came to pass that they did rejoice exceedingly, and did
offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave
thanks unto the God of Israel.
1 Nephi 5:10
10 And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my
father, Lehi, took the records which were engraven upon the
plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning.
1 Nephi 5:11
11 And he beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses,
which gave an account of the creation of the world, and also of
Adam and Eve, who were our first parents;
1 Nephi 5:12
12 And also a record of the Jews from the beginning, even down
to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah;
1 Nephi 5:13
13 And also the prophecies of the holy prophets, from the
beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of
Zedekiah; and also many prophecies which have been spoken by the
mouth of Jeremiah.
1 Nephi 5:14
14 And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon the
plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew
that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was
the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved
by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father,
Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine.
1 Nephi 5:15
15 And they were also led out of captivity and out of the land
of Egypt, by that same God who had preserved them.
1 Nephi 5:16
16 And thus my father, Lehi, did discover the genealogy of his
fathers. And Laban also was a descendant of Joseph, wherefore he
and his fathers had kept the records.
1 Nephi 5:17
17 And now when my father saw all these things, he was filled
with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed--
1 Nephi 5:18
18 That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations,
kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.
1 Nephi 5:19
19 Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never
perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time. And he
prophesied many things concerning his seed.
1 Nephi 5:20
20 And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept
the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us.
1 Nephi 5:21
21 And we had obtained the records which the Lord had commanded
us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea,
even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the
commandments of the Lord unto our children.
1 Nephi 5:22
22 Wherefore, it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry
them with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land
of promise.
1 Nephi 6
Chapter 6
1 Nephi 6:1
1 And now I, Nephi, do not give the genealogy of my fathers in
this part of my record; neither at any time shall I give it after
upon these plates which I am writing; for it is given in the
record which has been kept by my father; wherefore, I do not
write it in this work.
1 Nephi 6:2
2 For it sufficeth me to say that we are descendants of Joseph.
1 Nephi 6:3
3 And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full
account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be
written upon these plates, for I desire the room that I may write
of the things of God.
1 Nephi 6:4
4 For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to
come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob, and be saved.
1 Nephi 6:5
5 Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do
not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto
those who are not of the world.
1 Nephi 6:6
6 Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they
shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth
unto the children of men.
1 Nephi 7
Chapter 7
1 Nephi 7:1
1 And now I would that ye might know, that after my father,
Lehi, had made an end of prophesying concerning his seed, it came
to pass that the Lord spake unto him again, saying that it was
not meet for him, Lehi, that he should take his family into the
wilderness alone; but that his sons should take daughters to
wife, that they might raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of
promise.
1 Nephi 7:2
2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded him that I, Nephi,
and my brethren, should again return unto the land of Jerusalem,
and bring down Ishmael and his family into the wilderness.
1 Nephi 7:3
3 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did again, with my
brethren, go forth into the wilderness to go up to Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 7:4
4 And it came to pass that we went up unto the house of Ishmael,
and we did gain favor in the sight of Ishmael, insomuch that we
did speak unto him the words of the Lord.
1 Nephi 7:5
5 And it came to pass that the Lord did soften the heart of
Ishmael, and also his household, insomuch that they took their
journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of our
father.
1 Nephi 7:6
6 And it came to pass that as we journeyed in the wilderness,
behold Laman and Lemuel, and two of the daughters of Ishmael, and
the two sons of Ishmael and their families, did rebel against us;
yea, against me, Nephi, and Sam, and their father, Ishmael, and
his wife, and his three other daughters.
1 Nephi 7:7
7 And it came to pass in the which rebellion, they were desirous
to return unto the land of Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 7:8
8 And now I, Nephi, being grieved for the hardness of their
hearts, therefore I spake unto them, saying, yea, even unto Laman
and unto Lemuel: Behold ye are mine elder brethren, and how is it
that ye are so hard in your hearts, and so blind in your minds,
that ye have need that I, your younger brother, should speak unto
you, yea, and set an example for you?
1 Nephi 7:9
9 How is it that ye have not hearkened unto the word of the
Lord?
1 Nephi 7:10
10 How is it that ye have forgotten that ye have seen an angel
of the Lord?
1 Nephi 7:11
11 Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten what great things
the Lord hath done for us, in delivering us out of the hands of
Laban, and also that we should obtain the record?
1 Nephi 7:12
12 Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is
able to do all things according to his will, for the children of
men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let
us be faithful to him.
1 Nephi 7:13
13 And if it so be that we are faithful to him, we shall obtain
the land of promise; and ye shall know at some future period that
the word of the Lord shall be fulfilled concerning the
destruction of Jerusalem; for all things which the Lord hath
spoken concerning the destruction of Jerusalem must be fulfilled.
1 Nephi 7:14
14 For behold, the Spirit of the Lord ceaseth soon to strive
with them; for behold, they have rejected the prophets, and
Jeremiah have they cast into prison. And they have sought to
take away the life of my father, insomuch that they have driven
him out of the land.
1 Nephi 7:15
15 Now behold, I say unto you that if ye will return unto
Jerusalem ye shall also perish with them. And now, if ye have
choice, go up to the land, and remember the words which I speak
unto you, that if ye go ye will also perish; for thus the Spirit
of the Lord constraineth me that I should speak.
1 Nephi 7:16
16 And it came to pass that when I, Nephi, had spoken these
words unto my brethren, they were angry with me. And it came to
pass that they did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were
exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they
sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the
wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.
1 Nephi 7:17
17 But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O
Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver
me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that
I may burst these bands with which I am bound.
1 Nephi 7:18
18 And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold,
the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood
before my brethren, and I spake unto them again.
1 Nephi 7:19
19 And it came to pass that they were angry with me again, and
sought to lay hands upon me; but behold, one of the daughters of
Ishmael, yea, and also her mother, and one of the sons of
Ishmael, did plead with my brethren, insomuch that they did
soften their hearts; and they did cease striving to take away my
life.
1 Nephi 7:20
20 And it came to pass that they were sorrowful, because of
their wickedness, insomuch that they did bow down before me, and
did plead with me that I would forgive them of the thing that
they had done against me.
1 Nephi 7:21
21 And it came to pass that I did frankly forgive them all that
they had done, and I did exhort them that they would pray unto
the Lord their God for forgiveness. And it came to pass that
they did so. And after they had done praying unto the Lord we
did again travel on our journey towards the tent of our father.
1 Nephi 7:22
22 And it came to pass that we did come down unto the tent of
our father. And after I and my brethren and all the house of
Ishmael had come down unto the tent of my father, they did give
thanks unto the Lord their God; and they did offer sacrifice and
burnt offerings unto him.
1 Nephi 8
Chapter 8
1 Nephi 8:1
1 And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner
of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of
the seeds of fruit of every kind.
1 Nephi 8:2
2 And it came to pass that while my father tarried in the
wilderness he spake unto us, saying: Behold, I have dreamed a
dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision.
1 Nephi 8:3
3 And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have
reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam;
for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their
seed, will be saved.
1 Nephi 8:4
4 But behold, Laman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of
you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary
wilderness.
1 Nephi 8:5
5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a
white robe; and he came and stood before me.
1 Nephi 8:6
6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow
him.
1 Nephi 8:7
7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself
that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
1 Nephi 8:8
8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in
darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy
on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.
1 Nephi 8:9
9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld
a large and spacious field.
1 Nephi 8:10
10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was
desirable to make one happy.
1 Nephi 8:11
11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the
fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all
that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit
thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever
seen.
1 Nephi 8:12
12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with
exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my
family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was
desirable above all other fruit.
1 Nephi 8:13
13 And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might
discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran
along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the
fruit.
1 Nephi 8:14
14 And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the
head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld
your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they
knew not whither they should go.
1 Nephi 8:15
15 And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did
say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me,
and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other
fruit.
1 Nephi 8:16
16 And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of
the fruit also.
1 Nephi 8:17
17 And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel
should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine
eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see
them.
1 Nephi 8:18
18 And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come
unto me and partake of the fruit.
1 Nephi 8:19
19 And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of
the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.
1 Nephi 8:20
20 And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along
by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it
also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious
field, as if it had been a world.
1 Nephi 8:21
21 And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were
pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto
the tree by which I stood.
1 Nephi 8:22
22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in
the path which led to the tree.
1 Nephi 8:23
23 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea,
even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they
who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they
wandered off and were lost.
1 Nephi 8:24
24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward,
and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of
iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness,
clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and
partake of the fruit of the tree.
1 Nephi 8:25
25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did
cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.
1 Nephi 8:26
26 And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other
side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it
stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.
1 Nephi 8:27
27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male
and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and
they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers
towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.
1 Nephi 8:28
28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed,
because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away
into forbidden paths and were lost.
1 Nephi 8:29
29 And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.
1 Nephi 8:30
30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes
pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the
rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually
holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell
down and partook of the fruit of the tree.
1 Nephi 8:31
31 And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards
that great and spacious building.
1 Nephi 8:32
32 And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of
the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in
strange roads.
1 Nephi 8:33
33 And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange
building. And after they did enter into that building they did
point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of
the fruit also; but we heeded them not.
1 Nephi 8:34
34 These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them,
had fallen away.
1 Nephi 8:35
35 And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my
father.
1 Nephi 8:36
36 And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words
of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because
of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared
for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off
from the presence of the Lord.
1 Nephi 8:37
37 And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender
parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the
Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my
father did preach unto them.
1 Nephi 8:38
38 And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto
them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the
Lord; and he did cease speaking unto them.
1 Nephi 9
Chapter 9
1 Nephi 9:1
1 And all these things did my father see, and hear, and speak,
as he dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel, and also a great
many more things, which cannot be written upon these plates.
1 Nephi 9:2
2 And now, as I have spoken concerning these plates, behold they
are not the plates upon which I make a full account of the
history of my people; for the plates upon which I make a full
account of my people I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore,
they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and
these plates also are called the plates of Nephi.
1 Nephi 9:3
3 Nevertheless, I have received a commandment of the Lord that I
should make these plates, for the special purpose that there
should be an account engraven of the ministry of my people.
1 Nephi 9:4
4 Upon the other plates should be engraven an account of the
reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people;
wherefore these plates are for the more part of the ministry; and
the other plates are for the more part of the reign of the kings
and the wars and contentions of my people.
1 Nephi 9:5
5 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for
a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.
1 Nephi 9:6
6 But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore,
he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children
of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all
his words. And thus it is. Amen.
1 Nephi 10
Chapter 10
1 Nephi 10:1
1 And now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon these plates
of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to
proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of
my father, and also of my brethren.
1 Nephi 10:2
2 For behold, it came to pass after my father had made an end of
speaking the words of his dream, and also of exhorting them to
all diligence, he spake unto them concerning the Jews--
1 Nephi 10:3
3 That after they should be destroyed, even that great city
Jerusalem, and many be carried away captive into Babylon,
according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return
again, yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they
should be brought back out of captivity they should possess again
the land of their inheritance.
1 Nephi 10:4
4 Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left
Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the
Jews--even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.
1 Nephi 10:5
5 And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number
had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom
he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world.
1 Nephi 10:6
6 Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state,
and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.
1 Nephi 10:7
7 And he spake also concerning a prophet who should come before
the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord--
1 Nephi 10:8
8 Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness:
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for
there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier
than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And
much spake my father concerning this thing.
1 Nephi 10:9
9 And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond
Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that
he should baptize the Messiah with water.
1 Nephi 10:10
10 And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should
behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who
should take away the sins of the world.
1 Nephi 10:11
11 And it came to pass after my father had spoken these words he
spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be
preached among the Jews, and also concerning the dwindling of the
Jews in unbelief. And after they had slain the Messiah, who
should come, and after he had been slain he should rise from the
dead, and should make himself manifest, by the Holy Ghost, unto
the Gentiles.
1 Nephi 10:12
12 Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and
also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared
like unto an olive-tree, whose branches should be broken off and
should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.
1 Nephi 10:13
13 Wherefore, he said it must needs be that we should be led
with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of
the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the
face of the earth.
1 Nephi 10:14
14 And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should
be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had
received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the
olive-tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be
grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their
Lord and their Redeemer.
1 Nephi 10:15
15 And after this manner of language did my father prophesy and
speak unto my brethren, and also many more things which I do not
write in this book; for I have written as many of them as were
expedient for me in mine other book.
1 Nephi 10:16
16 And all these things, of which I have spoken, were done as my
father dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel.
1 Nephi 10:17
17 And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the
words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a
vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the
Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of
God--and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come--I,
Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of
these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift
of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times
of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the
children of men.
1 Nephi 10:18
18 For he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever; and the
way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if
it so be that they repent and come unto him.
1 Nephi 10:19
19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries
of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy
Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in
times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the
Lord is one eternal round.
1 Nephi 10:20
20 Therefore remember, O man, for all thy doings thou shalt be
brought into judgment.
1 Nephi 10:21
21 Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of
your probation, then ye are found unclean before the
judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God;
wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.
1 Nephi 10:22
22 And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these
things, and deny them not.
1 Nephi 11
Chapter 11
1 Nephi 11:1
1 For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things
that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to
make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was
caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly
high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I
never had before set my foot.
1 Nephi 11:2
2 And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou?
1 Nephi 11:3
3 And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw.
1 Nephi 11:4
4 And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou that thy father
saw the tree of which he hath spoken?
1 Nephi 11:5
5 And I said: Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of
my father.
1 Nephi 11:6
6 And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a
loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for
he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed
art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most
high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast
desired.
1 Nephi 11:7
7 And behold this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign,
that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which
thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of
heaven, and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him
ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God.
1 Nephi 11:8
8 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me: Look! And I
looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my
father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea,
exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the
whiteness of the driven snow.
1 Nephi 11:9
9 And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the
Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is
precious above all.
1 Nephi 11:10
10 And he said unto me: What desirest thou?
1 Nephi 11:11
11 And I said unto him: To know the interpretation thereof--for
I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in
the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the
Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with
another.
1 Nephi 11:12
12 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look! And I looked
as if to look upon him, and I saw him not; for he had gone from
before my presence.
1 Nephi 11:13
13 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city
of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of
Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she
was exceedingly fair and white.
1 Nephi 11:14
14 And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel
came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what
beholdest thou?
1 Nephi 11:15
15 And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above
all other virgins.
1 Nephi 11:16
16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?
1 Nephi 11:17
17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children;
nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.
1 Nephi 11:18
18 And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is
the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.
1 Nephi 11:19
19 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away
in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit
for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!
1 Nephi 11:20
20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in
her arms.
1 Nephi 11:21
21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even
the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the
tree which thy father saw?
1 Nephi 11:22
22 And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which
sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men;
wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.
1 Nephi 11:23
23 And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the
soul.
1 Nephi 11:24
24 And after he had said these words, he said unto me: Look!
And I looked, and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the
children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship
him.
1 Nephi 11:25
25 And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which
my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the
fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters
are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that
the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.
1 Nephi 11:26
26 And the angel said unto me again: Look and behold the
condescension of God!
1 Nephi 11:27
27 And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my
father had spoken; and I also beheld the prophet who should
prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went forth and
was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the
heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and
abide upon him in the form of a dove.
1 Nephi 11:28
28 And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people,
in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered
together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from
among them.
1 Nephi 11:29
29 And I also beheld twelve others following him. And it came
to pass that they were carried away in the Spirit from before my
face, and I saw them not.
1 Nephi 11:30
30 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again,
saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again,
and I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they
did minister unto them.
1 Nephi 11:31
31 And he spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and
I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men.
And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were
afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and
unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things
unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God;
and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.
1 Nephi 11:32
32 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again,
saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he
was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was
judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.
1 Nephi 11:33
33 And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and
slain for the sins of the world.
1 Nephi 11:34
34 And after he was slain I saw the multitudes of the earth,
that they were gathered together to fight against the apostles of
the Lamb; for thus were the twelve called by the angel of the
Lord.
1 Nephi 11:35
35 And the multitude of the earth was gathered together; and I
beheld that they were in a large and spacious building, like unto
the building which my father saw. And the angel of the Lord
spake unto me again, saying: Behold the world and the wisdom
thereof; yea, behold the house of Israel hath gathered together
to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
1 Nephi 11:36
36 And it came to pass that I saw and bear record, that the
great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and it
fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great. And the angel
of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Thus shall be the
destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that
shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
1 Nephi 12
Chapter 12
1 Nephi 12:1
1 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Look, and
behold thy seed, and also the seed of thy brethren. And I looked
and beheld the land of promise; and I beheld multitudes of
people, yea, even as it were in number as many as the sand of the
sea.
1 Nephi 12:2
2 And it came to pass that I beheld multitudes gathered together
to battle, one against the other; and I beheld wars, and rumors
of wars, and great slaughters with the sword among my people.
1 Nephi 12:3
3 And it came to pass that I beheld many generations pass away,
after the manner of wars and contentions in the land; and I
beheld many cities, yea, even that I did not number them.
1 Nephi 12:4
4 And it came to pass that I saw a mist of darkness on the face
of the land of promise; and I saw lightnings, and I heard
thunderings, and earthquakes, and all manner of tumultuous
noises; and I saw the earth and the rocks, that they rent; and I
saw mountains tumbling into pieces; and I saw the plains of the
earth, that they were broken up; and I saw many cities that they
were sunk; and I saw many that they were burned with fire; and I
saw many that did tumble to the earth, because of the quaking
thereof.
1 Nephi 12:5
5 And it came to pass after I saw these things, I saw the vapor
of darkness, that it passed from off the face of the earth; and
behold, I saw multitudes who had not fallen because of the great
and terrible judgments of the Lord.
1 Nephi 12:6
6 And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out
of heaven; and he came down and showed himself unto them.
1 Nephi 12:7
7 And I also saw and bear record that the Holy Ghost fell upon
twelve others; and they were ordained of God, and chosen.
1 Nephi 12:8
8 And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the twelve
disciples of the Lamb, who are chosen to minister unto thy seed.
1 Nephi 12:9
9 And he said unto me: Thou rememberest the twelve apostles of
the Lamb? Behold they are they who shall judge the twelve tribes
of Israel; wherefore, the twelve ministers of thy seed shall be
judged of them; for ye are of the house of Israel.
1 Nephi 12:10
10 And these twelve ministers whom thou beholdest shall judge
thy seed. And, behold, they are righteous forever; for because
of their faith in the Lamb of God their garments are made white
in his blood.
1 Nephi 12:11
11 And the angel said unto me: Look! And I looked, and beheld
three generations pass away in righteousness; and their garments
were white even like unto the Lamb of God. And the angel said
unto me: These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because
of their faith in him.
1 Nephi 12:12
12 And I, Nephi, also saw many of the fourth generation who
passed away in righteousness.
1 Nephi 12:13
13 And it came to pass that I saw the multitudes of the earth
gathered together.
1 Nephi 12:14
14 And the angel said unto me: Behold thy seed, and also the
seed of thy brethren.
1 Nephi 12:15
15 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the people of my
seed gathered together in multitudes against the seed of my
brethren; and they were gathered together to battle.
1 Nephi 12:16
16 And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the fountain of
filthy water which thy father saw; yea, even the river of which
he spake; and the depths thereof are the depths of hell.
1 Nephi 12:17
17 And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil,
which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children
of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish
and are lost.
1 Nephi 12:18
18 And the large and spacious building, which thy father saw, is
vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men. And a
great and a terrible gulf divideth them; yea, even the word of
the justice of the Eternal God, and the Messiah who is the Lamb
of God, of whom the Holy Ghost beareth record, from the beginning
of the world until this time, and from this time henceforth and
forever.
1 Nephi 12:19
19 And while the angel spake these words, I beheld and saw that
the seed of my brethren did contend against my seed, according to
the word of the angel; and because of the pride of my seed, and
the temptations of the devil, I beheld that the seed of my
brethren did overpower the people of my seed.
1 Nephi 12:20
20 And it came to pass that I beheld, and saw the people of the
seed of my brethren that they had overcome my seed; and they went
forth in multitudes upon the face of the land.
1 Nephi 12:21
21 And I saw them gathered together in multitudes; and I saw
wars and rumors of wars among them; and in wars and rumors of
wars I saw many generations pass away.
1 Nephi 12:22
22 And the angel said unto me: Behold these shall dwindle in
unbelief.
1 Nephi 12:23
23 And it came to pass that I beheld, after they had dwindled in
unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people,
full of idleness and all manner of abominations.
1 Nephi 13
Chapter 13
1 Nephi 13:1
1 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying:
Look! And I looked and beheld many nations and kingdoms.
1 Nephi 13:2
2 And the angel said unto me: What beholdest thou? And I said:
I behold many nations and kingdoms.
1 Nephi 13:3
3 And he said unto me: These are the nations and kingdoms of the
Gentiles.
1 Nephi 13:4
4 And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the
Gentiles the formation of a great church.
1 Nephi 13:5
5 And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church
which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth
the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down,
and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into
captivity.
1 Nephi 13:6
6 And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable
church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.
1 Nephi 13:7
7 And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and
fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw
many harlots.
1 Nephi 13:8
8 And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the
silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined
linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the
desires of this great and abominable church.
1 Nephi 13:9
9 And also for the praise of the world do they destroy the
saints of God, and bring them down into captivity.
1 Nephi 13:10
10 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld many waters; and
they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my brethren.
1 Nephi 13:11
11 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Behold the
wrath of God is upon the seed of thy brethren.
1 Nephi 13:12
12 And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was
separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I
beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the
man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed
of my brethren, who were in the promised land.
1 Nephi 13:13
13 And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it
wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of
captivity, upon the many waters.
1 Nephi 13:14
14 And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the
Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God,
that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered
before the Gentiles and were smitten.
1 Nephi 13:15
15 And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the
Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their
inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly
fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.
1 Nephi 13:16
16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles
who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before
the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them.
1 Nephi 13:17
17 And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered
together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle
against them.
1 Nephi 13:18
18 And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also
that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered
together against them to battle.
1 Nephi 13:19
19 And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of
captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of
all other nations.
1 Nephi 13:20
20 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did
prosper in the land; and I beheld a book, and it was carried
forth among them.
1 Nephi 13:21
21 And the angel said unto me: Knowest thou the meaning of the
book?
1 Nephi 13:22
22 And I said unto him: I know not.
1 Nephi 13:23
23 And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew.
And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou
beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants
of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it
also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and
it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates
of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain
the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of
Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.
1 Nephi 13:24
24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that
the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it
proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness
of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear
record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in
the Lamb of God.
1 Nephi 13:25
25 Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto
the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.
1 Nephi 13:26
26 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of
the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the
formation of a great and abominable church, which is most
abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken
away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and
most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they
taken away.
1 Nephi 13:27
27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right
ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the
hearts of the children of men.
1 Nephi 13:28
28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth
through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there
are many plain and precious things taken away from the book,
which is the book of the Lamb of God.
1 Nephi 13:29
29 And after these plain and precious things were taken away it
goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it
goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even
across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles
which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest--because of
the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of
the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children
of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of
God--because of these things which are taken away out of the
gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea,
insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.
1 Nephi 13:30
30 Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone
forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of
God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is
choice above all other lands, which is the land that the Lord God
hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the
land of their inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the Lord
God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the
mixture of thy seed, which are among thy brethren.
1 Nephi 13:31
31 Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall destroy the
seed of thy brethren.
1 Nephi 13:32
32 Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall
forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou
beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious
parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that
abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen.
1 Nephi 13:33
33 Wherefore saith the Lamb of God: I will be merciful unto the
Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel
in great judgment.
1 Nephi 13:34
34 And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me,
saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the
remnant of the house of Israel--and this remnant of whom I speak
is the seed of thy father--wherefore, after I have visited them
in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and
after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most
plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have
been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of
harlots, saith the Lamb--I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in
that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own
power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious,
saith the Lamb.
1 Nephi 13:35
35 For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy
seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister
unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed
shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of
thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth
unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.
1 Nephi 13:36
36 And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and
my rock and my salvation.
1 Nephi 13:37
37 And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at
that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy
Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at
the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of
the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great
joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.
1 Nephi 13:38
38 And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of
my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had
proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth
from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.
1 Nephi 13:39
39 And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books,
which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto
them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the
seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon
all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and
of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.
1 Nephi 13:40
40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records,
which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the
truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb,
and shall make known the plain and precious things which have
been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds,
tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the
Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men
must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.
1 Nephi 13:41
41 And they must come according to the words which shall be
established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb
shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the
records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both
shall be established in one; for there is one God and one
Shepherd over all the earth.
1 Nephi 13:42
42 And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all
nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after
he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the
Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and
also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first
shall be last.
1 Nephi 14
Chapter 14
1 Nephi 14:1
1 And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken
unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself
unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the
taking away of their stumbling blocks--
1 Nephi 14:2
2 And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they
shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall
be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a
blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no
more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall
no more be confounded.
1 Nephi 14:3
3 And that great pit, which hath been digged for them by that
great and abominable church, which was founded by the devil and
his children, that he might lead away the souls of men down to
hell--yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the
destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto
their utter destruction, saith the Lamb of God; not the
destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that
hell which hath no end.
1 Nephi 14:4
4 For behold, this is according to the captivity of the devil,
and also according to the justice of God, upon all those who will
work wickedness and abomination before him.
1 Nephi 14:5
5 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, Nephi,
saying: Thou hast beheld that if the Gentiles repent it shall be
well with them; and thou also knowest concerning the covenants of
the Lord unto the house of Israel; and thou also hast heard that
whoso repenteth not must perish.
1 Nephi 14:6
6 Therefore, wo be unto the Gentiles if it so be that they
harden their hearts against the Lamb of God.
1 Nephi 14:7
7 For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a
great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work
which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the
other--either to the convincing of them unto peace and life
eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their
hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought
down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally
and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of
which I have spoken.
1 Nephi 14:8
8 And it came to pass that when the angel had spoken these
words, he said unto me: Rememberest thou the covenants of the
Father unto the house of Israel? I said unto him, Yea.
1 Nephi 14:9
9 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold
that great and abominable church, which is the mother of
abominations, whose founder is the devil.
1 Nephi 14:10
10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only;
the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the
church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church
of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the
mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.
1 Nephi 14:11
11 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all
the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion
over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and
people.
1 Nephi 14:12
12 And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of
God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and
abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless,
I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God,
were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions
upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness
of the great whore whom I saw.
1 Nephi 14:13
13 And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of
abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all
the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight
against the Lamb of God.
1 Nephi 14:14
14 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the
Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of
the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were
scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed
with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.
1 Nephi 14:15
15 And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was
poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that
there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and
kindreds of the earth.
1 Nephi 14:16
16 And as there began to be wars and rumors of wars among all
the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations, the
angel spake unto me, saying: Behold, the wrath of God is upon the
mother of harlots; and behold, thou seest all these things--
1 Nephi 14:17
17 And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out
upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable
church of all the earth, whose founder is the devil, then, at
that day, the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the
way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to
his people who are of the house of Israel.
1 Nephi 14:18
18 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying:
Look!
1 Nephi 14:19
19 And I looked and beheld a man, and he was dressed in a white
robe.
1 Nephi 14:20
20 And the angel said unto me: Behold one of the twelve apostles
of the Lamb.
1 Nephi 14:21
21 Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things;
yea, and also many things which have been.
1 Nephi 14:22
22 And he shall also write concerning the end of the world.
1 Nephi 14:23
23 Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true;
and behold they are written in the book which thou beheld
proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew; and at the time they
proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or, at the time the book
proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were
written were plain and pure, and most precious and easy to the
understanding of all men.
1 Nephi 14:24
24 And behold, the things which this apostle of the Lamb shall
write are many things which thou hast seen; and behold, the
remainder shalt thou see.
1 Nephi 14:25
25 But the things which thou shalt see hereafter thou shalt not
write; for the Lord God hath ordained the apostle of the Lamb of
God that he should write them.
1 Nephi 14:26
26 And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all
things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up to
come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in
the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of
Israel.
1 Nephi 14:27
27 And I, Nephi, heard and bear record, that the name of the
apostle of the Lamb was John, according to the word of the angel.
1 Nephi 14:28
28 And behold, I, Nephi, am forbidden that I should write the
remainder of the things which I saw and heard; wherefore the
things which I have written sufficeth me; and I have written but
a small part of the things which I saw.
1 Nephi 14:29
29 And I bear record that I saw the things which my father saw,
and the angel of the Lord did make them known unto me.
1 Nephi 14:30
30 And now I make an end of speaking concerning the things which
I saw while I was carried away in the spirit; and if all the
things which I saw are not written, the things which I have
written are true. And thus it is. Amen.
1 Nephi 15
Chapter 15
1 Nephi 15:1
1 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away
in the spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent
of my father.
1 Nephi 15:2
2 And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were
disputing one with another concerning the things my father had
spoken unto them.
1 Nephi 15:3
3 For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were
hard to be understood, save a man should inquire of the Lord; and
they being hard in their hearts, therefore they did not look unto
the Lord as they ought.
1 Nephi 15:4
4 And now I, Nephi, was grieved because of the hardness of their
hearts, and also, because of the things which I had seen, and
knew they must unavoidably come to pass because of the great
wickedness of the children of men.
1 Nephi 15:5
5 And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my
afflictions, for I considered that mine afflictions were great
above all, because of the destruction of my people, for I had
beheld their fall.
1 Nephi 15:6
6 And it came to pass that after I had received strength I spake
unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their
disputations.
1 Nephi 15:7
7 And they said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which
our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the
olive-tree, and also concerning the Gentiles.
1 Nephi 15:8
8 And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?
1 Nephi 15:9
9 And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no
such thing known unto us.
1 Nephi 15:10
10 Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the
commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will perish, because
of the hardness of your hearts?
1 Nephi 15:11
11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?--If
ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing
that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments,
surely these things shall be made known unto you.
1 Nephi 15:12
12 Behold, I say unto you, that the house of Israel was compared
unto an olive-tree, by the Spirit of the Lord which was in our
father; and behold are we not broken off from the house of
Israel, and are we not a branch of the house of Israel?
1 Nephi 15:13
13 And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the
grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the
Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have
dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many
generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto
the children of men, then shall the fulness of the gospel of the
Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the
remnant of our seed--
1 Nephi 15:14
14 And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they
are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people
of the Lord; and then shall they know and come to the knowledge
of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of
their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him;
wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and
the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come
unto him and be saved.
1 Nephi 15:15
15 And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise
unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation? Yea,
at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment
from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of
God?
1 Nephi 15:16
16 Behold, I say unto you, Yea; they shall be remembered again
among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a
natural branch of the olive-tree, into the true olive-tree.
1 Nephi 15:17
17 And this is what our father meaneth; and he meaneth that it
will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the
Gentiles; and he meaneth that it shall come by way of the
Gentiles, that the Lord may show his power unto the Gentiles, for
the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the
house of Israel.
1 Nephi 15:18
18 Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but
also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which
should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord
made to our father Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the
kindreds of the earth be blessed.
1 Nephi 15:19
19 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake much unto them
concerning these things; yea, I spake unto them concerning the
restoration of the Jews in the latter days.
1 Nephi 15:20
20 And I did rehearse unto them the words of Isaiah, who spake
concerning the restoration of the Jews, or of the house of
Israel; and after they were restored they should no more be
confounded, neither should they be scattered again. And it came
to pass that I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they
were pacified and did humble themselves before the Lord.
1 Nephi 15:21
21 And it came to pass that they did speak unto me again,
saying: What meaneth this thing which our father saw in a dream?
What meaneth the tree which he saw?
1 Nephi 15:22
22 And I said unto them: It was a representation of the tree of
life.
1 Nephi 15:23
23 And they said unto me: What meaneth the rod of iron which our
father saw, that led to the tree?
1 Nephi 15:24
24 And I said unto them that it was the word of God, and whose
would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it,
they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the
fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to
lead them away to destruction.
1 Nephi 15:25
25 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the
word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of
my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they
would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his
commandments always in all things.
1 Nephi 15:26
26 And they said unto me: What meaneth the river of water which
our father saw?
1 Nephi 15:27
27 And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was
filthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things
that he beheld not the filthiness of the water.
1 Nephi 15:28
28 And I said unto them that it was an awful gulf, which
separated the wicked from the tree of life, and also from the
saints of God.
1 Nephi 15:29
29 And I said unto them that it was a representation of that
awful hell, which the angel said unto me was prepared for the
wicked.
1 Nephi 15:30
30 And I said unto them that our father also saw that the
justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous; and
the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming
fire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and ever, and hath no
end.
1 Nephi 15:31
31 And they said unto me: Doth this thing mean the torment of
the body in the days of probation, or doth it mean the final
state of the soul after the death of the temporal body, or doth
it speak of the things which are temporal?
1 Nephi 15:32
32 And it came to pass that I said unto them that it was a
representation of things both temporal and spiritual; for the day
should come that they must be judged of their works, yea, even
the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of
probation.
1 Nephi 15:33
33 Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness they must
be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are
pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to
stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works
have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be
filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of
God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also.
1 Nephi 15:34
34 But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy,
and there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God;
wherefore there must needs be a place of filthiness prepared for
that which is filthy.
1 Nephi 15:35
35 And there is a place prepared, yea, even that awful hell of
which I have spoken, and the devil is the preparator of it;
wherefore the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the
kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that justice of
which I have spoken.
1 Nephi 15:36
36 Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and
also from that tree of life, whose fruit is most precious and
most desirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the
greatest of all the gifts of God. And thus I spake unto my
brethren. Amen.
1 Nephi 16
Chapter 16
1 Nephi 16:1
1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end
of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast
declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.
1 Nephi 16:2
2 And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I
had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the
truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that
they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty
taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very
center.
1 Nephi 16:3
3 And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to
hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk
uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the
truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.
1 Nephi 16:4
4 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did exhort my brethren,
with all diligence, to keep the commandments of the Lord.
1 Nephi 16:5
5 And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the
Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they
would walk in the paths of righteousness.
1 Nephi 16:6
6 Now, all these things were said and done as my father dwelt in
a tent in the valley which he called Lemuel.
1 Nephi 16:7
7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, took one of the daughters
of Ishmael to wife; and also, my brethren took of the daughters
of Ishmael to wife; and also Zoram took the eldest daughter of
Ishmael to wife.
1 Nephi 16:8
8 And thus my father had fulfilled all the commandments of the
Lord which had been given unto him. And also, I, Nephi, had been
blessed of the Lord exceedingly.
1 Nephi 16:9
9 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord spake unto my
father by night, and commanded him that on the morrow he should
take his journey into the wilderness.
1 Nephi 16:10
10 And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning,
and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he
beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship; and
it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and
the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness.
1 Nephi 16:11
11 And it came to pass that we did gather together whatsoever
things we should carry into the wilderness, and all the remainder
of our provisions which the Lord had given unto us; and we did
take seed of every kind that we might carry into the wilderness.
1 Nephi 16:12
12 And it came to pass that we did take our tents and depart
into the wilderness, across the river Laman.
1 Nephi 16:13
13 And it came to pass that we traveled for the space of four
days, nearly a south-southeast direction, and we did pitch our
tents again; and we did call the name of the place Shazer.
1 Nephi 16:14
14 And it came to pass that we did take our bows and our arrows,
and go forth into the wilderness to slay food for our families;
and after we had slain food for our families we did return again
to our families in the wilderness, to the place of Shazer. And
we did go forth again in the wilderness, following the same
direction, keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness,
which were in the borders near the Red Sea.
1 Nephi 16:15
15 And it came to pass that we did travel for the space of many
days, slaying food by the way, with our bows and our arrows and
our stones and our slings.
1 Nephi 16:16
16 And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in
the more fertile parts of the wilderness.
1 Nephi 16:17
17 And after we had traveled for the space of many days, we did
pitch our tents for the space of a time, that we might again rest
ourselves and obtain food for our families.
1 Nephi 16:18
18 And it came to pass that as I, Nephi, went forth to slay
food, behold, I did break my bow, which was made of fine steel;
and after I did break my bow, behold, my brethren were angry with
me because of the loss of my bow, for we did obtain no food.
1 Nephi 16:19
19 And it came to pass that we did return without food to our
families, and being much fatigued, because of their journeying,
they did suffer much for the want of food.
1 Nephi 16:20
20 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel and the sons of
Ishmael did begin to murmur exceedingly, because of their
sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness; and also my father
began to murmur against the Lord his God; yea, and they were all
exceedingly sorrowful, even that they did murmur against the
Lord.
1 Nephi 16:21
21 Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, having been afflicted with
my brethren because of the loss of my bow, and their bows having
lost their springs, it began to be exceedingly difficult, yea,
insomuch that we could obtain no food.
1 Nephi 16:22
22 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did speak much unto my
brethren, because they had hardened their hearts again, even unto
complaining against the Lord their God.
1 Nephi 16:23
23 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make out of wood a
bow, and out of a straight stick, an arrow; wherefore, I did arm
myself with a bow and an arrow, with a sling and with stones.
And I said unto my father: Whither shall I go to obtain food?
1 Nephi 16:24
24 And it came to pass that he did inquire of the Lord, for they
had humbled themselves because of my words; for I did say many
things unto them in the energy of my soul.
1 Nephi 16:25
25 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my
father; and he was truly chastened because of his murmuring
against the Lord, insomuch that he was brought down into the
depths of sorrow.
1 Nephi 16:26
26 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord said unto him:
Look upon the ball, and behold the things which are written.
1 Nephi 16:27
27 And it came to pass that when my father beheld the things
which were written upon the ball, he did fear and tremble
exceedingly, and also my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and our
wives.
1 Nephi 16:28
28 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which
were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and
diligence and heed which we did give unto them.
1 Nephi 16:29
29 And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was
plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the
ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to
time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it.
And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about
great things.
1 Nephi 16:30
30 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the
top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given
upon the ball.
1 Nephi 16:31
31 And it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch
that I did obtain food for our families.
1 Nephi 16:32
32 And it came to pass that I did return to our tents, bearing
the beasts which I had slain; and now when they beheld that I had
obtained food, how great was their joy! And it came to pass that
they did humble themselves before the Lord, and did give thanks
unto him.
1 Nephi 16:33
33 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey,
traveling nearly the same course as in the beginning; and after
we had traveled for the space of many days we did pitch our tents
again, that we might tarry for the space of a time.
1 Nephi 16:34
34 And it came to pass that Ishmael died, and was buried in the
place which was called Nahom.
1 Nephi 16:35
35 And it came to pass that the daughters of Ishmael did mourn
exceedingly, because of the loss of their father, and because of
their afflictions in the wilderness; and they did murmur against
my father, because he had brought them out of the land of
Jerusalem, saying: Our father is dead; yea, and we have wandered
much in the wilderness, and we have suffered much affliction,
hunger, thirst, and fatigue; and after all these sufferings we
must perish in the wilderness with hunger.
1 Nephi 16:36
36 And thus they did murmur against my father, and also against
me; and they were desirous to return again to Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 16:37
37 And Laman said unto Lemuel and also unto the sons of Ishmael:
Behold, let us slay our father, and also our brother Nephi, who
has taken it upon him to be our ruler and our teacher, who are
his elder brethren.
1 Nephi 16:38
38 Now, he says that the Lord has talked with him, and also that
angels have ministered unto him. But behold, we know that he
lies unto us; and he tells us these things, and he worketh many
things by his cunning arts, that he may deceive our eyes,
thinking, perhaps, that he may lead us away into some strange
wilderness; and after he has led us away, he has thought to make
himself a king and a ruler over us, that he may do with us
according to his will and pleasure. And after this manner did my
brother Laman stir up their hearts to anger.
1 Nephi 16:39
39 And it came to pass that the Lord was with us, yea, even the
voice of the Lord came and did speak many words unto them, and
did chasten them exceedingly; and after they were chastened by
the voice of the Lord they did turn away their anger, and did
repent of their sins, insomuch that the Lord did bless us again
with food, that we did not perish.
1 Nephi 17
Chapter 17
1 Nephi 17:1
1 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the
wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time
forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the
wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness.
1 Nephi 17:2
2 And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that
while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did
give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea,
even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings
without murmurings.
1 Nephi 17:3
3 And thus we see that the commandments of God must be
fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the
commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them,
and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he
has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while
we did sojourn in the wilderness.
1 Nephi 17:4
4 And we did sojourn for the space of many years, yea, even
eight years in the wilderness.
1 Nephi 17:5
5 And we did come to the land which we called Bountiful, because
of its much fruit and also wild honey; and all these things were
prepared of the Lord that we might not perish. And we beheld the
sea, which we called Irreantum, which, being interpreted, is many
waters.
1 Nephi 17:6
6 And it came to pass that we did pitch our tents by the
seashore; and notwithstanding we had suffered many afflictions
and much difficulty, yea, even so much that we cannot write them
all, we were exceedingly rejoiced when we came to the seashore;
and we called the place Bountiful, because of its much fruit.
1 Nephi 17:7
7 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been in the land
of Bountiful for the space of many days, the voice of the Lord
came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain. And
it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and
cried unto the Lord.
1 Nephi 17:8
8 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou
shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee,
that I may carry thy people across these waters.
1 Nephi 17:9
9 And I said: Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to
molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the
manner which thou hast shown unto me?
1 Nephi 17:10
10 And it came to pass that the Lord told me whither I should go
to find ore, that I might make tools.
1 Nephi 17:11
11 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make a bellows
wherewith to blow the fire, of the skins of beasts; and after I
had made a bellows, that I might have wherewith to blow the fire,
I did smite two stones together that I might make fire.
1 Nephi 17:12
12 For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make
much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will
make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not;
1 Nephi 17:13
13 And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will
prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my
commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my
commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye
shall know that it is by me that ye are led.
1 Nephi 17:14
14 Yea, and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in
the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and
that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I
did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 17:15
15 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did strive to keep the commandments of
the Lord, and I did exhort my brethren to faithfulness and
diligence.
1 Nephi 17:16
16 And it came to pass that I did make tools of the ore which I
did molten out of the rock.
1 Nephi 17:17
17 And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship,
they began to murmur against me, saying: Our brother is a fool,
for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also
thinketh that he can cross these great waters.
1 Nephi 17:18
18 And thus my brethren did complain against me, and were
desirous that they might not labor, for they did not believe that
I could build a ship; neither would they believe that I was
instructed of the Lord.
1 Nephi 17:19
19 And now it came to pass that I, Nephi, was exceedingly
sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts; and now when
they saw that I began to be sorrowful they were glad in their
hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying: We knew
that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were
lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so
great a work.
1 Nephi 17:20
20 And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish
imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of
Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many
years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they
have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things,
save it were death; and it would have been better that they had
died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered
these afflictions.
1 Nephi 17:21
21 Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness,
which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of
our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy.
1 Nephi 17:22
22 And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem
were a righteous people; for they kept the statutes and judgments
of the Lord, and all his commandments, according to the law of
Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people; and
our father hath judged them, and hath led us away because we
would hearken unto his words; yea, and our brother is like unto
him. And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur
and complain against us.
1 Nephi 17:23
23 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake unto them, saying:
Do ye believe that our fathers, who were the children of Israel,
would have been led away out of the hands of the Egyptians if
they had not hearkened unto the words of the Lord?
1 Nephi 17:24
24 Yea, do ye suppose that they would have been led out of
bondage, if the Lord had not commanded Moses that he should lead
them out of bondage?
1 Nephi 17:25
25 Now ye know that the children of Israel were in bondage; and
ye know that they were laden with tasks, which were grievous to
be borne; wherefore, ye know that it must needs be a good thing
for them, that they should be brought out of bondage.
1 Nephi 17:26
26 Now ye know that Moses was commanded of the Lord to do that
great work; and ye know that by his word the waters of the Red
Sea were divided hither and thither, and they passed through on
dry ground.
1 Nephi 17:27
27 But ye know that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea,
who were the armies of Pharaoh.
1 Nephi 17:28
28 And ye also know that they were fed with manna in the
wilderness.
1 Nephi 17:29
29 Yea, and ye also know that Moses, by his word according to
the power of God which was in him, smote the rock, and there came
forth water, that the children of Israel might quench their
thirst.
1 Nephi 17:30
30 And notwithstanding they being led, the Lord their God, their
Redeemer, going before them, leading them by day and giving light
unto them by night, and doing all things for them which were
expedient for man to receive, they hardened their hearts and
blinded their minds, and reviled against Moses and against the
true and living God.
1 Nephi 17:31
31 And it came to pass that according to his word he did destroy
them; and according to his word he did lead them; and according
to his word he did do all things for them; and there was not any
thing done save it were by his word.
1 Nephi 17:32
32 And after they had crossed the river Jordan he did make them
mighty unto the driving out of the children of the land, yea,
unto the scattering them to destruction.
1 Nephi 17:33
33 And now, do ye suppose that the children of this land, who
were in the land of promise, who were driven out by our fathers,
do ye suppose that they were righteous? Behold, I say unto you,
Nay.
1 Nephi 17:34
34 Do ye suppose that our fathers would have been more choice
than they if they had been righteous? I say unto you, Nay.
1 Nephi 17:35
35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is
righteous is favored of God. But behold, this people had
rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and
the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did
curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea,
he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did
bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it.
1 Nephi 17:36
36 Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be
inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should
possess it.
1 Nephi 17:37
37 And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the
nations of the wicked.
1 Nephi 17:38
38 And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and
the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for
their sakes.
1 Nephi 17:39
39 He ruleth high in the heavens, for it is his throne, and this
earth is his footstool.
1 Nephi 17:40
40 And he loveth those who will have him to be their God.
Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea,
even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants
which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land
of Egypt.
1 Nephi 17:41
41 And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for
they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord
straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying
serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way
that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to
perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or
the easiness of it, there were many who perished.
1 Nephi 17:42
42 And they did harden their hearts from time to time, and they
did revile against Moses, and also against God; nevertheless, ye
know that they were led forth by his matchless power into the
land of promise.
1 Nephi 17:43
43 And now, after all these things, the time has come that they
have become wicked, yea, nearly unto ripeness; and I know not but
they are at this day about to be destroyed; for I know that the
day must surely come that they must be destroyed, save a few
only, who shall be led away into captivity.
1 Nephi 17:44
44 Wherefore, the Lord commanded my father that he should depart
into the wilderness; and the Jews also sought to take away his
life; yea, and ye also have sought to take away his life;
wherefore, ye are murderers in your hearts and ye are like unto
them.
1 Nephi 17:45
45 Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord
your God. Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye
have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto
you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye
could not feel his words; wherefore, he has spoken unto you like
unto the voice of thunder, which did cause the earth to shake as
if it were to divide asunder.
1 Nephi 17:46
46 And ye also know that by the power of his almighty word he
can cause the earth that it shall pass away; yea, and ye know
that by his word he can cause the rough places to be made smooth,
and smooth places shall be broken up. O, then, why is it, that
ye can be so hard in your hearts?
1 Nephi 17:47
47 Behold, my soul is rent with anguish because of you, and my
heart is pained; I fear lest ye shall be cast off forever.
Behold, I am full of the Spirit of God, insomuch that my frame
has no strength.
1 Nephi 17:48
48 And now it came to pass that when I had spoken these words,
they were angry with me, and were desirous to throw me into the
depths of the sea; and as they came forth to lay their hands upon
me I spake unto them, saying: In the name of the Almighty God, I
command you that ye touch me not, for I am filled with the power
of God, even unto the consuming of my flesh; and whoso shall lay
his hands upon me shall wither even as a dried reed; and he shall
be as naught before the power of God, for God shall smite him.
1 Nephi 17:49
49 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto them that they
should murmur no more against their father; neither should they
withhold their labor from me, for God had commanded me that I
should build a ship.
1 Nephi 17:50
50 And I said unto them: If God had commanded me to do all
things I could do them. If he should command me that I should
say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I
should say it, it would be done.
1 Nephi 17:51
51 And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so
many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot
instruct me, that I should build a ship?
1 Nephi 17:52
52 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said many things unto my
brethren, insomuch that they were confounded and could not
contend against me; neither durst they lay their hands upon me
nor touch me with their fingers, even for the space of many days.
Now they durst not do this lest they should wither before me, so
powerful was the Spirit of God; and thus it had wrought upon
them.
1 Nephi 17:53
53 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth
thine hand again unto thy brethren, and they shall not wither
before thee, but I will shock them, saith the Lord, and this will
I do, that they may know that I am the Lord their God.
1 Nephi 17:54
54 And it came to pass that I stretched forth my hand unto my
brethren, and they did not wither before me; but the Lord did
shake them, even according to the word which he had spoken.
1 Nephi 17:55
55 And now, they said: We know of a surety that the Lord is with
thee, for we know that it is the power of the Lord that has
shaken us. And they fell down before me, and were about to
worship me, but I would not suffer them, saying: I am thy
brother, yea, even thy younger brother; wherefore, worship the
Lord thy God, and honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days
may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee.
1 Nephi 18
Chapter 18
1 Nephi 18:1
1 And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go
forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship.
And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I
should work the timbers of the ship.
1 Nephi 18:2
2 Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which
was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner
of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had
shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.
1 Nephi 18:3
3 And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft
unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.
1 Nephi 18:4
4 And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship,
according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was
good, and that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine;
wherefore, they did humble themselves again before the Lord.
1 Nephi 18:5
5 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my
father, that we should arise and go down into the ship.
1 Nephi 18:6
6 And it came to pass that on the morrow, after we had prepared
all things, much fruits and meat from the wilderness, and honey
in abundance, and provisions according to that which the Lord had
commanded us, we did go down into the ship, with all our loading
and our seeds, and whatsoever thing we had brought with us, every
one according to his age; wherefore, we did all go down into the
ship, with our wives and our children.
1 Nephi 18:7
7 And now, my father had begat two sons in the wilderness; the
elder was called Jacob and the younger Joseph.
1 Nephi 18:8
8 And it came to pass after we had all gone down into the ship,
and had taken with us our provisions and things which had been
commanded us, we did put forth into the sea and were driven forth
before the wind towards the promised land.
1 Nephi 18:9
9 And after we had been driven forth before the wind for the
space of many days, behold, my brethren and the sons of Ishmael
and also their wives began to make themselves merry, insomuch
that they began to dance, and to sing, and to speak with much
rudeness, yea, even that they did forget by what power they had
been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding
rudeness.
1 Nephi 18:10
10 And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should
be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we
should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I,
Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold
they were angry with me, saying: We will not that our younger
brother shall be a ruler over us.
1 Nephi 18:11
11 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and
bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness;
nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his
power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken
concerning the wicked.
1 Nephi 18:12
12 And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch
that I could not move, the compass, which had been prepared of
the Lord, did cease to work.
1 Nephi 18:13
13 Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship,
insomuch that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and
terrible tempest, and we were driven back upon the waters for the
space of three days; and they began to be frightened exceedingly
lest they should be drowned in the sea; nevertheless they did not
loose me.
1 Nephi 18:14
14 And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the
tempest began to be exceedingly sore.
1 Nephi 18:15
15 And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in
the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon
the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see
that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must
perish save that they should repent of their iniquities;
wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were
upon my wrist, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also
mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness
thereof.
1 Nephi 18:16
16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him
all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because
of mine afflictions.
1 Nephi 18:17
17 Now my father, Lehi, had said many things unto them, and also
unto the sons of Ishmael; but, behold, they did breathe out much
threatenings against anyone that should speak for me; and my
parents being stricken in years, and having suffered much grief
because of their children, they were brought down, yea, even upon
their sick-beds.
1 Nephi 18:18
18 Because of their grief and much sorrow, and the iniquity of
my brethren, they were brought near even to be carried out of
this time to meet their God; yea, their grey hairs were about to
be brought down to lie low in the dust; yea, even they were near
to be cast with sorrow into a watery grave.
1 Nephi 18:19
19 And Jacob and Joseph also, being young, having need of much
nourishment, were grieved because of the afflictions of their
mother; and also my wife with her tears and prayers, and also my
children, did not soften the hearts of my brethren that they
would loose me.
1 Nephi 18:20
20 And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which
threatened them with destruction, could soften their hearts;
wherefore, when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up
in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they
had done, insomuch that they loosed me.
1 Nephi 18:21
21 And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took
the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came
to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the
winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great
calm.
1 Nephi 18:22
22 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that
we sailed again towards the promised land.
1 Nephi 18:23
23 And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of
many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth
upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the
promised land.
1 Nephi 18:24
24 And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and
we began to plant seeds; yea, we did put all our seeds into the
earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem. And it
came to pass that they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were
blessed in abundance.
1 Nephi 18:25
25 And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of
promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were
beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and
the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all
manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we
did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of
copper.
1 Nephi 19
Chapter 19
1 Nephi 19:1
1 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I
did make plates of ore that I might engraven upon them the record
of my people. And upon the plates which I made I did engraven
the record of my father, and also our journeyings in the
wilderness, and the prophecies of my father; and also many of
mine own prophecies have I engraven upon them.
1 Nephi 19:2
2 And I knew not at the time when I made them that I should be
commanded of the Lord to make these plates; wherefore, the record
of my father, and the genealogy of his fathers, and the more part
of all our proceedings in the wilderness are engraven upon those
first plates of which I have spoken; wherefore, the things which
transpired before I made these plates are, of a truth, more
particularly made mention upon the first plates.
1 Nephi 19:3
3 And after I had made these plates by way of commandment, I,
Nephi, received a commandment that the ministry and the
prophecies, the more plain and precious parts of them, should be
written upon these plates; and that the things which were written
should be kept for the instruction of my people, who should
possess the land, and also for other wise purposes, which
purposes are known unto the Lord.
1 Nephi 19:4
4 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did make a record upon the other plates,
which gives an account, or which gives a greater account of the
wars and contentions and destructions of my people. And this
have I done, and commanded my people what they should do after I
was gone; and that these plates should be handed down from one
generation to another, or from one prophet to another, until
further commandments of the Lord.
1 Nephi 19:5
5 And an account of my making these plates shall be given
hereafter; and then, behold, I proceed according to that which I
have spoken; and this I do that the more sacred things may be
kept for the knowledge of my people.
1 Nephi 19:6
6 Nevertheless, I do not write anything upon plates save it be
that I think it be sacred. And now, if I do err, even did they
err of old; not that I would excuse myself because of other men,
but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the
flesh, I would excuse myself.
1 Nephi 19:7
7 For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth,
both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under
their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample
under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would
speak in other words--they set him at naught, and hearken not to
the voice of his counsels.
1 Nephi 19:8
8 And behold he cometh, according to the words of the angel, in
six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 19:9
9 And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to
be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he
suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they
spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving
kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.
1 Nephi 19:10
10 And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of
bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea,
the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth
himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the
hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of
Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and
to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos,
which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which
should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit
the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of
the house of Israel.
1 Nephi 19:11
11 For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall visit
all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because
of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and
others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by
tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the
opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up.
1 Nephi 19:12
12 And all these things must surely come, saith the prophet
Zenos. And the rocks of the earth must rend; and because of the
groanings of the earth, many of the kings of the isles of the sea
shall be wrought upon by the Spirit of God, to exclaim: The God
of nature suffers.
1 Nephi 19:13
13 And as for those who are at Jerusalem, saith the prophet,
they shall be scourged by all people, because they crucify the
God of Israel, and turn their hearts aside, rejecting signs and
wonders, and the power and glory of the God of Israel.
1 Nephi 19:14
14 And because they turn their hearts aside, saith the prophet,
and have despised the Holy One of Israel, they shall wander in
the flesh, and perish, and become a hiss and a byword, and be
hated among all nations.
1 Nephi 19:15
15 Nevertheless, when that day cometh, saith the prophet, that
they no more turn aside their hearts against the Holy One of
Israel, then will he remember the covenants which he made to
their fathers.
1 Nephi 19:16
16 Yea, then will he remember the isles of the sea; yea, and all
the people who are of the house of Israel, will I gather in,
saith the Lord, according to the words of the prophet Zenos, from
the four quarters of the earth.
1 Nephi 19:17
17 Yea, and all the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord,
saith the prophet; every nation, kindred, tongue and people shall
be blessed.
1 Nephi 19:18
18 And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people, that
perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord
their Redeemer.
1 Nephi 19:19
19 Wherefore, I speak unto all the house of Israel, if it so be
that they should obtain these things.
1 Nephi 19:20
20 For behold, I have workings in the spirit, which doth weary
me even that all my joints are weak, for those who are at
Jerusalem; for had not the Lord been merciful, to show unto me
concerning them, even as he had prophets of old, I should have
perished also.
1 Nephi 19:21
21 And he surely did show unto the prophets of old all things
concerning them; and also he did show unto many concerning us;
wherefore, it must needs be that we know concerning them for they
are written upon the plates of brass.
1 Nephi 19:22
22 Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren
these things; and it came to pass that I did read many things to
them, which were engraven upon the plates of brass, that they
might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands,
among people of old.
1 Nephi 19:23
23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in
the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to
believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that
which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all
scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.
1 Nephi 19:24
24 Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the
prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch
who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which
were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto
yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from
whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the
prophet written.
1 Nephi 20
Chapter 20
1 Nephi 20:1
1 Hearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the
name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, or
out of the waters of baptism, who swear by the name of the Lord,
and make mention of the God of Israel, yet they swear not in
truth nor in righteousness.
1 Nephi 20:2
2 Nevertheless, they call themselves of the holy city, but they
do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel, who is the Lord of
Hosts; yea, the Lord of Hosts is his name.
1 Nephi 20:3
3 Behold, I have declared the former things from the beginning;
and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them. I did
show them suddenly.
1 Nephi 20:4
4 And I did it because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy
neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;
1 Nephi 20:5
5 And I have even from the beginning declared to thee; before it
came to pass I showed them thee; and I showed them for fear lest
thou shouldst say--mine idol hath done them, and my graven image,
and my molten image hath commanded them.
1 Nephi 20:6
6 Thou hast seen and heard all this; and will ye not declare
them? And that I have showed thee new things from this time,
even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
1 Nephi 20:7
7 They are created now, and not from the beginning, even before
the day when thou heardest them not they were declared unto thee,
lest thou shouldst say--Behold I knew them.
1 Nephi 20:8
8 Yea, and thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from
that time thine ear was not opened; for I knew that thou wouldst
deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the
womb.
1 Nephi 20:9
9 Nevertheless, for my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and
for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off.
1 Nephi 20:10
10 For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the
furnace of affliction.
1 Nephi 20:11
11 For mine own sake, yea, for mine own sake will I do this, for
I will not suffer my name to be polluted, and I will not give my
glory unto another.
1 Nephi 20:12
12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called, for I am he;
I am the first, and I am also the last.
1 Nephi 20:13
13 Mine hand hath also laid the foundation of the earth, and my
right hand hath spanned the heavens. I call unto them and they
stand up together.
1 Nephi 20:14
14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; who among them hath
declared these things unto them? The Lord hath loved him; yea,
and he will fulfill his word which he hath declared by them; and
he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall come upon
the Chaldeans.
1 Nephi 20:15
15 Also, saith the Lord; I the Lord, yea, I have spoken; yea, I
have called him to declare, I have brought him, and he shall make
his way prosperous.
1 Nephi 20:16
16 Come ye near unto me; I have not spoken in secret; from the
beginning, from the time that it was declared have I spoken; and
the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
1 Nephi 20:17
17 And thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of
Israel; I have sent him, the Lord thy God who teacheth thee to
profit, who leadeth thee by the way thou shouldst go, hath done
it.
1 Nephi 20:18
18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments--then had thy
peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the
sea.
1 Nephi 20:19
19 Thy seed also had been as the sand; the offspring of thy
bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut
off nor destroyed from before me.
1 Nephi 20:20
20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a
voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter to the end of the
earth; say ye: The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob.
1 Nephi 20:21
21 And they thirsted not; he led them through the deserts; he
caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them; he clave the
rock also and the waters gushed out.
1 Nephi 20:22
22 And notwithstanding he hath done all this, and greater also,
there is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.
1 Nephi 21
Chapter 21
1 Nephi 21:1
1 And again: Hearken, O ye house of Israel, all ye that are
broken off and are driven out because of the wickedness of the
pastors of my people; yea, all ye that are broken off, that are
scattered abroad, who are of my people, O house of Israel.
Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken ye people from far; the
Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother
hath he made mention of my name.
1 Nephi 21:2
2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of
his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his
quiver hath he hid me;
1 Nephi 21:3
3 And said unto me: Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I
will be glorified.
1 Nephi 21:4
4 Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength
for naught and in vain; surely my judgment is with the Lord, and
my work with my God.
1 Nephi 21:5
5 And now, saith the Lord--that formed me from the womb that I
should be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him--though Israel
be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,
and my God shall be my strength.
1 Nephi 21:6
6 And he said: It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my
servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the
preserved of Israel. I will also give thee for a light to the
Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the
earth.
1 Nephi 21:7
7 Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to
him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to
servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall
worship, because of the Lord that is faithful.
1 Nephi 21:8
8 Thus saith the Lord: In an acceptable time have I heard thee,
O isles of the sea, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee;
and I will preserve thee, and give thee my servant for a covenant
of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the
desolate heritages;
1 Nephi 21:9
9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners: Go forth; to them that
sit in darkness: Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways,
and their pastures shall be in all high places.
1 Nephi 21:10
10 They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor
the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them shall lead
them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
1 Nephi 21:11
11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall
be exalted.
1 Nephi 21:12
12 And then, O house of Israel, behold, these shall come from
far; and lo, these from the north and from the west; and these
from the land of Sinim.
1 Nephi 21:13
13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; for the feet of
those who are in the east shall be established; and break forth
into singing, O mountains; for they shall be smitten no more; for
the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his
afflicted.
1 Nephi 21:14
14 But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and
my Lord hath forgotten me--but he will show that he hath not.
1 Nephi 21:15
15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not
have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget,
yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.
1 Nephi 21:16
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy
walls are continually before me.
1 Nephi 21:17
17 Thy children shall make haste against thy destroyers; and
they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.
1 Nephi 21:18
18 Lift up thine eyes round about and behold; all these gather
themselves together, and they shall come to thee. And as I live,
saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as
with an ornament, and bind them on even as a bride.
1 Nephi 21:19
19 For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy
destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the
inhabitants; and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
1 Nephi 21:20
20 The children whom thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the
first, shall again in thine ears say: The place is too strait for
me; give place to me that I may dwell.
1 Nephi 21:21
21 Then shalt thou say in thine heart: Who hath begotten me
these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a
captive, and removing to and fro? And who hath brought up these?
Behold, I was left alone; these, where have they been?
1 Nephi 21:22
22 Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to
the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they
shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be
carried upon their shoulders.
1 Nephi 21:23
23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy
nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face
towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou
shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that
wait for me.
1 Nephi 21:24
24 For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful
captives delivered?
1 Nephi 21:25
25 But thus saith the Lord, even the captives of the mighty
shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be
delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee,
and I will save thy children.
1 Nephi 21:26
26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh;
they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine;
and all flesh shall know that I, the Lord, am thy Savior and thy
Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
1 Nephi 22
Chapter 22
1 Nephi 22:1
1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had read these
things which were engraven upon the plates of brass, my brethren
came unto me and said unto me: What meaneth these things which ye
have read? Behold, are they to be understood according to things
which are spiritual, which shall come to pass according to the
spirit and not the flesh?
1 Nephi 22:2
2 And I, Nephi, said unto them: Behold they were manifest unto
the prophet by the voice of the Spirit; for by the Spirit are all
things made known unto the prophets, which shall come upon the
children of men according to the flesh.
1 Nephi 22:3
3 Wherefore, the things of which I have read are things
pertaining to things both temporal and spiritual; for it appears
that the house of Israel, sooner or later, will be scattered upon
all the face of the earth, and also among all nations.
1 Nephi 22:4
4 And behold, there are many who are already lost from the
knowledge of those who are at Jerusalem. Yea, the more part of
all the tribes have been led away; and they are scattered to and
fro upon the isles of the sea; and whither they are none of us
knoweth, save that we know that they have been led away.
1 Nephi 22:5
5 And since they have been led away, these things have been
prophesied concerning them, and also concerning all those who
shall hereafter be scattered and be confounded, because of the
Holy One of Israel; for against him will they harden their
hearts; wherefore, they shall be scattered among all nations and
shall be hated of all men.
1 Nephi 22:6
6 Nevertheless, after they shall be nursed by the Gentiles, and
the Lord has lifted up his hand upon the Gentiles and set them up
for a standard, and their children have been carried in their
arms, and their daughters have been carried upon their shoulders,
behold these things of which are spoken are temporal; for thus
are the covenants of the Lord with our fathers; and it meaneth us
in the days to come, and also all our brethren who are of the
house of Israel.
1 Nephi 22:7
7 And it meaneth that the time cometh that after all the house
of Israel have been scattered and confounded, that the Lord God
will raise up a mighty nation among the Gentiles, yea, even upon
the face of this land; and by them shall our seed be scattered.
1 Nephi 22:8
8 And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to
do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great
worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being
nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and
upon their shoulders.
1 Nephi 22:9
9 And it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only
unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the
making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto
Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth
be blessed.
1 Nephi 22:10
10 And I would, my brethren, that ye should know that all the
kindreds of the earth cannot be blessed unless he shall make bare
his arm in the eyes of the nations.
1 Nephi 22:11
11 Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to make bare his arm in
the eyes of all the nations, in bringing about his covenants and
his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel.
1 Nephi 22:12
12 Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and
they shall be gathered together to the lands of their
inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out
of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior
and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
1 Nephi 22:13
13 And the blood of that great and abominable church, which is
the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for
they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands
shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with
their own blood.
1 Nephi 22:14
14 And every nation which shall war against thee, O house of
Israel, shall be turned one against another, and they shall fall
into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord.
And all that fight against Zion shall be destroyed, and that
great whore, who hath perverted the right ways of the Lord, yea,
that great and abominable church, shall tumble to the dust and
great shall be the fall of it.
1 Nephi 22:15
15 For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that
Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of
men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do
wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must
be burned.
1 Nephi 22:16
16 For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God
shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not
suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.
1 Nephi 22:17
17 Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even
if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the
righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their
enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for
thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as
by fire.
1 Nephi 22:18
18 Behold, my brethren, I say unto you, that these things must
shortly come; yea, even blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke must
come; and it must needs be upon the face of this earth; and it
cometh unto men according to the flesh if it so be that they will
harden their hearts against the Holy One of Israel.
1 Nephi 22:19
19 For behold, the righteous shall not perish; for the time
surely must come that all they who fight against Zion shall be
cut off.
1 Nephi 22:20
20 And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people, unto
the fulfilling of the words of Moses, which he spake, saying: A
prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me;
him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
And it shall come to pass that all those who will not hear that
prophet shall be cut off from among the people.
1 Nephi 22:21
21 And now I, Nephi, declare unto you, that this prophet of whom
Moses spake was the Holy One of Israel; wherefore, he shall
execute judgment in righteousness.
1 Nephi 22:22
22 And the righteous need not fear, for they are those who shall
not be confounded. But it is the kingdom of the devil, which
shall be built up among the children of men, which kingdom is
established among them which are in the flesh--
1 Nephi 22:23
23 For the time speedily shall come that all churches which are
built up to get gain, and all those who are built up to get power
over the flesh, and those who are built up to become popular in
the eyes of the world, and those who seek the lusts of the flesh
and the things of the world, and to do all manner of iniquity;
yea, in fine, all those who belong to the kingdom of the devil
are they who need fear, and tremble, and quake; they are those
who must be brought low in the dust; they are those who must be
consumed as stubble; and this is according to the words of the
prophet.
1 Nephi 22:24
24 And the time cometh speedily that the righteous must be led
up as calves of the stall, and the Holy One of Israel must reign
in dominion, and might, and power, and great glory.
1 Nephi 22:25
25 And he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the
earth; and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him; and there
shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep,
and in him they shall find pasture.
1 Nephi 22:26
26 And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no
power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many
years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for
they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth.
1 Nephi 22:27
27 And now behold, I, Nephi, say unto you that all these things
must come according to the flesh.
1 Nephi 22:28
28 But, behold, all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people shall
dwell safely in the Holy One of Israel if it so be that they will
repent.
1 Nephi 22:29
29 And now I, Nephi, make an end; for I durst not speak further
as yet concerning these things.
1 Nephi 22:30
30 Wherefore, my brethren, I would that ye should consider that
the things which have been written upon the plates of brass are
true; and they testify that a man must be obedient to the
commandments of God.
1 Nephi 22:31
31 Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the
only ones that have testified, and also taught them. Wherefore,
if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the
end, ye shall be saved at the last day. And thus it is. Amen.
2 Nephi
THE SECOND BOOK OF NEPHI
An account of the death of Lehi. Nephi's brethren rebel against
him. The Lord warns Nephi to depart into the wilderness. His
journeyings in the wilderness, and so forth.
2 Nephi 1
Chapter 1
2 Nephi 1:1
1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end
of teaching my brethren, our father, Lehi, also spake many things
unto them, and rehearsed unto them, how great things the Lord had
done for them in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem.
2 Nephi 1:2
2 And he spake unto them concerning their rebellions upon the
waters, and the mercies of God in sparing their lives, that they
were not swallowed up in the sea.
2 Nephi 1:3
3 And he also spake unto them concerning the land of promise,
which they had obtained--how merciful the Lord had been in
warning us that we should flee out of the land of Jerusalem.
2 Nephi 1:4
4 For, behold, said he, I have seen a vision, in which I know
that Jerusalem is destroyed; and had we remained in Jerusalem we
should also have perished.
2 Nephi 1:5
5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have
obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all
other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me
should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord
hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever,
and also all those who should be led out of other countries by
the hand of the Lord.
2 Nephi 1:6
6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the
Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land
save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.
2 Nephi 1:7
7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall
bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to
the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of
liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down
into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if
iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes,
but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.
2 Nephi 1:8
8 And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet
from the knowledge of other nations; for behold, many nations
would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an
inheritance.
2 Nephi 1:9
9 Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as
those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem
shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of
this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that
they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that
they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the
face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to
take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell
safely forever.
2 Nephi 1:10
10 But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in
unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the
hand of the Lord--having a knowledge of the creation of the
earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the
Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to
do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the
beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness into
this precious land of promise--behold, I say, if the day shall
come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true
Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of
him that is just shall rest upon them.
2 Nephi 1:11
11 Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give
unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of
their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and
smitten.
2 Nephi 1:12
12 Yea, as one generation passeth to another there shall be
bloodsheds, and great visitations among them; wherefore, my sons,
I would that ye would remember; yea, I would that ye would
hearken unto my words.
2 Nephi 1:13
13 O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even
from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which
ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of
men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf
of misery and woe.
2 Nephi 1:14
14 Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a
trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold
and silent grave, from whence no traveler can return; a few more
days and I go the way of all the earth.
2 Nephi 1:15
15 But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have
beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms
of his love.
2 Nephi 1:16
16 And I desire that ye should remember to observe the statutes
and the judgments of the Lord; behold, this hath been the anxiety
of my soul from the beginning.
2 Nephi 1:17
17 My heart hath been weighed down with sorrow from time to
time, for I have feared, lest for the hardness of your hearts the
Lord your God should come out in the fulness of his wrath upon
you, that ye be cut off and destroyed forever;
2 Nephi 1:18
18 Or, that a cursing should come upon you for the space of many
generations; and ye are visited by sword, and by famine, and are
hated, and are led according to the will and captivity of the
devil.
2 Nephi 1:19
19 O my sons, that these things might not come upon you, but
that ye might be a choice and a favored people of the Lord. But
behold, his will be done; for his ways are righteousness forever.
2 Nephi 1:20
20 And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my
commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye
will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my
presence.
2 Nephi 1:21
21 And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart
might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might
not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise
from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind
and in one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down
into captivity;
2 Nephi 1:22
22 That ye may not be cursed with a sore cursing; and also, that
ye may not incur the displeasure of a just God upon you, unto the
destruction, yea, the eternal destruction of both soul and body.
2 Nephi 1:23
23 Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off
the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of
obscurity, and arise from the dust.
2 Nephi 1:24
24 Rebel no more against your brother, whose views have been
glorious, and who hath kept the commandments from the time that
we left Jerusalem; and who hath been an instrument in the hands
of God, in bringing us forth into the land of promise; for were
it not for him, we must have perished with hunger in the
wilderness; nevertheless, ye sought to take away his life; yea,
and he hath suffered much sorrow because of you.
2 Nephi 1:25
25 And I exceedingly fear and tremble because of you, lest he
shall suffer again; for behold, ye have accused him that he
sought power and authority over you; but I know that he hath not
sought for power nor authority over you, but he hath sought the
glory of God, and your own eternal welfare.
2 Nephi 1:26
26 And ye have murmured because he hath been plain unto you. Ye
say that he hath used sharpness; ye say that he hath been angry
with you; but behold, his sharpness was the sharpness of the
power of the word of God, which was in him; and that which ye
call anger was the truth, according to that which is in God,
which he could not restrain, manifesting boldly concerning your
iniquities.
2 Nephi 1:27
27 And it must needs be that the power of God must be with him,
even unto his commanding you that ye must obey. But behold, it
was not he, but it was the Spirit of the Lord which was in him,
which opened his mouth to utterance that he could not shut it.
2 Nephi 1:28
28 And now my son, Laman, and also Lemuel and Sam, and also my
sons who are the sons of Ishmael, behold, if ye will hearken unto
the voice of Nephi ye shall not perish. And if ye will hearken
unto him I leave unto you a blessing, yea, even my first
blessing.
2 Nephi 1:29
29 But if ye will not hearken unto him I take away my first
blessing, yea, even my blessing, and it shall rest upon him.
2 Nephi 1:30
30 And now Zoram, I speak unto you: Behold, thou art the servant
of Laban; nevertheless, thou hast been brought out of the land of
Jerusalem, and I know that thou art a true friend unto my son,
Nephi, forever.
2 Nephi 1:31
31 Wherefore, because thou hast been faithful thy seed shall be
blessed with his seed, that they dwell in prosperity long upon
the face of this land; and nothing, save it shall be iniquity
among them, shall harm or disturb their prosperity upon the face
of this land forever.
2 Nephi 1:32
32 Wherefore, if ye shall keep the commandments of the Lord, the
Lord hath consecrated this land for the security of thy seed with
the seed of my son.
2 Nephi 2
Chapter 2
2 Nephi 2:1
1 And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my first-born in
the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy
childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because
of the rudeness of thy brethren.
2 Nephi 2:2
2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my first-born in the wilderness, thou
knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine
afflictions for thy gain.
2 Nephi 2:3
3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell
safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in
the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art
redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou
hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring
salvation unto men.
2 Nephi 2:4
4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou
art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the
flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is
free.
2 Nephi 2:5
5 And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from
evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is
justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal
law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish
from that which is good, and become miserable forever.
2 Nephi 2:6
6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah;
for he is full of grace and truth.
2 Nephi 2:7
7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the
ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a
contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be
answered.
2 Nephi 2:8
8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known
unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there
is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be
through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who
layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again
by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the
resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.
2 Nephi 2:9
9 Wherefore, he is the first-fruits unto God, inasmuch as he
shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they
that believe in him shall be saved.
2 Nephi 2:10
10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto
God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him to be judged of
him according to the truth and holiness which is in him.
Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given,
unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which
punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the
happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement--
2 Nephi 2:11
11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all
things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness,
righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness,
neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore,
all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it
should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life
neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor
misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
2 Nephi 2:12
12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of
naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of
its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the
wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and
the mercy, and the justice of God.
2 Nephi 2:13
13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there
is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say
there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness
there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor
happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things
are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not,
neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of
things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all
things must have vanished away.
2 Nephi 2:14
14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your
profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all
things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in
them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.
2 Nephi 2:15
15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man,
after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the
field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are
created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the
forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being
sweet and the other bitter.
2 Nephi 2:16
16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for
himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should
be that he was enticed by the one or the other.
2 Nephi 2:17
17 And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must
needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is
written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil,
having sought that which was evil before God.
2 Nephi 2:18
18 And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become
miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind.
Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is
the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said:
Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye
shall be as God, knowing good and evil.
2 Nephi 2:19
19 And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit
they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth.
2 Nephi 2:20
20 And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of
all the earth.
2 Nephi 2:21
21 And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according
to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh;
wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their
time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord
God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that
all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were
lost, because of the transgression of their parents.
2 Nephi 2:22
22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not
have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden.
And all things which were created must have remained in the same
state in which they were after they were created; and they must
have remained forever, and had no end.
2 Nephi 2:23
23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would
have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they
knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
2 Nephi 2:24
24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him
who knoweth all things.
2 Nephi 2:25
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might
have joy.
2 Nephi 2:26
26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may
redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they
are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing
good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon,
save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last
day, according to the commandments which God hath given.
2 Nephi 2:27
27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all
things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are
free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great
Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according
to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all
men might be miserable like unto himself.
2 Nephi 2:28
28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great
Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be
faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to
the will of his Holy Spirit;
2 Nephi 2:29
29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the
flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of
the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he
may reign over you in his own kingdom.
2 Nephi 2:30
30 I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the
last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part,
according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other
object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen.
2 Nephi 3
Chapter 3
2 Nephi 3:1
1 And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my last-born. Thou wast
born in the wilderness of mine afflictions; yea, in the days of
my greatest sorrow did thy mother bear thee.
2 Nephi 3:2
2 And may the Lord consecrate also unto thee this land, which is
a most precious land, for thine inheritance and the inheritance
of thy seed with thy brethren, for thy security forever, if it so
be that ye shall keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel.
2 Nephi 3:3
3 And now, Joseph, my last-born, whom I have brought out of the
wilderness of mine afflictions, may the Lord bless thee forever,
for thy seed shall not utterly be destroyed.
2 Nephi 3:4
4 For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a
descendant of Joseph who was carried captive into Egypt. And
great were the covenants of the Lord which he made unto Joseph.
2 Nephi 3:5
5 Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a
promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord
God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel;
not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off,
nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that
the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days,
in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness
unto light--yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto
freedom.
2 Nephi 3:6
6 For Joseph truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my
God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my
loins.
2 Nephi 3:7
7 Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice
seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall
be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him
will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of
thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them,
even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants
which I have made with thy fathers.
2 Nephi 3:8
8 And I will give unto him a commandment that he shall do none
other work, save the work which I shall command him. And I will
make him great in mine eyes; for he shall do my work.
2 Nephi 3:9
9 And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I
would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel.
2 Nephi 3:10
10 And Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the
land of Egypt.
2 Nephi 3:11
11 But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and
unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed
of thy loins--and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith
the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have
already gone forth among them.
2 Nephi 3:12
12 Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit
of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be
written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be
written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together,
unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of
contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins,
and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter
days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.
2 Nephi 3:13
13 And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when
my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring
thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.
2 Nephi 3:14
14 And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will
the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be
confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord,
of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure
of the fulfilling of this promise;
2 Nephi 3:15
15 And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after
the name of his father. And he shall be like unto me; for the
thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power
of the Lord shall bring my people unto salvation.
2 Nephi 3:16
16 Yea, thus prophesied Joseph: I am sure of this thing, even as
I am sure of the promise of Moses; for the Lord hath said unto
me, I will preserve thy seed forever.
2 Nephi 3:17
17 And the Lord hath said: I will raise up a Moses; and I will
give power unto him in a rod; and I will give judgment unto him
in writing. Yet I will not loose his tongue, that he shall speak
much, for I will not make him mighty in speaking. But I will
write unto him my law, by the finger of mine own hand; and I will
make a spokesman for him.
2 Nephi 3:18
18 And the Lord said unto me also: I will raise up unto the
fruit of thy loins; and I will make for him a spokesman. And I,
behold, I will give unto him that he shall write the writing of
the fruit of thy loins, unto the fruit of thy loins; and the
spokesman of thy loins shall declare it.
2 Nephi 3:19
19 And the words which he shall write shall be the words which
are expedient in my wisdom should go forth unto the fruit of thy
loins. And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried
unto them from the dust; for I know their faith.
2 Nephi 3:20
20 And they shall cry from the dust; yea, even repentance unto
their brethren, even after many generations have gone by them.
And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even according
to the simpleness of their words.
2 Nephi 3:21
21 Because of their faith their words shall proceed forth out of
my mouth unto their brethren who are the fruit of thy loins; and
the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith,
unto the remembering of my covenant which I made unto thy
fathers.
2 Nephi 3:22
22 And now, behold, my son Joseph, after this manner did my
father of old prophesy.
2 Nephi 3:23
23 Wherefore, because of this covenant thou art blessed; for thy
seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the
words of the book.
2 Nephi 3:24
24 And there shall rise up one mighty among them, who shall do
much good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in the
hands of God, with exceeding faith, to work mighty wonders, and
do that thing which is great in the sight of God, unto the
bringing to pass much restoration unto the house of Israel, and
unto the seed of thy brethren.
2 Nephi 3:25
25 And now, blessed art thou, Joseph. Behold, thou art little;
wherefore hearken unto the words of thy brother, Nephi, and it
shall be done unto thee even according to the words which I have
spoken. Remember the words of thy dying father. Amen.
2 Nephi 4
Chapter 4
2 Nephi 4:1
1 And now, I, Nephi, speak concerning the prophecies of which my
father hath spoken, concerning Joseph, who was carried into
Egypt.
2 Nephi 4:2
2 For behold, he truly prophesied concerning all his seed. And
the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater. And
he prophesied concerning us, and our future generations; and they
are written upon the plates of brass.
2 Nephi 4:3
3 Wherefore, after my father had made an end of speaking
concerning the prophecies of Joseph, he called the children of
Laman, his sons, and his daughters, and said unto them: Behold,
my sons, and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of
my first-born, I would that ye should give ear unto my words.
2 Nephi 4:4
4 For the Lord God hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my
commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye
will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my
presence.
2 Nephi 4:5
5 But behold, my sons and my daughters, I cannot go down to my
grave save I should leave a blessing upon you; for behold, I know
that if ye are brought up in the way ye should go ye will not
depart from it.
2 Nephi 4:6
6 Wherefore, if ye are cursed, behold, I leave my blessing upon
you, that the cursing may be taken from you and be answered upon
the heads of your parents.
2 Nephi 4:7
7 Wherefore, because of my blessing the Lord God will not suffer
that ye shall perish; wherefore, he will be merciful unto you and
unto your seed forever.
2 Nephi 4:8
8 And it came to pass that after my father had made an end of
speaking to the sons and daughters of Laman, he caused the sons
and daughters of Lemuel to be brought before him.
2 Nephi 4:9
9 And he spake unto them, saying: Behold, my sons and my
daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my second son;
behold I leave unto you the same blessing which I left unto the
sons and daughters of Laman; wherefore, thou shalt not utterly be
destroyed; but in the end thy seed shall be blessed.
2 Nephi 4:10
10 And it came to pass that when my father had made an end of
speaking unto them, behold, he spake unto the sons of Ishmael,
yea, and even all his household.
2 Nephi 4:11
11 And after he had made an end of speaking unto them, he spake
unto Sam, saying: Blessed art thou, and thy seed; for thou shall
inherit the land like unto thy brother Nephi. And thy seed shall
be numbered with his seed; and thou shalt be even like unto thy
brother, and thy seed like unto his seed; and thou shalt be
blessed in all thy days.
2 Nephi 4:12
12 And it came to pass after my father, Lehi, had spoken unto
all his household, according to the feelings of his heart and the
Spirit of the Lord which was in him, he waxed old. And it came
to pass that he died, and was buried.
2 Nephi 4:13
13 And it came to pass that not many days after his death, Laman
and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael were angry with me because of
the admonitions of the Lord.
2 Nephi 4:14
14 For I, Nephi, was constrained to speak unto them, according
to his word; for I had spoken many things unto them, and also my
father, before his death; many of which sayings are written upon
mine other plates; for a more history part are written upon mine
other plates.
2 Nephi 4:15
15 And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the
scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my
soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them,
and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.
2 Nephi 4:16
16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my
heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and
heard.
2 Nephi 4:17
17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord,
in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth:
O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my
flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.
2 Nephi 4:18
18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the
sins which do so easily beset me.
2 Nephi 4:19
19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my
sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.
2 Nephi 4:20
20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine
afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the
waters of the great deep.
2 Nephi 4:21
21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of
my flesh.
2 Nephi 4:22
22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to
quake before me.
2 Nephi 4:23
23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me
knowledge by visions in the nighttime.
2 Nephi 4:24
24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him;
yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and
ministered unto me.
2 Nephi 4:25
25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried
away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld
great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden
that I should not write them.
2 Nephi 4:26
26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his
condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so
much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the
valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength
slacken, because of mine afflictions?
2 Nephi 4:27
27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why
should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in
my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry
because of mine enemy?
2 Nephi 4:28
28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my
heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
2 Nephi 4:29
29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken
my strength because of mine afflictions.
2 Nephi 4:30
30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord,
I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my
God, and the rock of my salvation.
2 Nephi 4:31
31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out
of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake
at the appearance of sin?
2 Nephi 4:32
32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because
that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt
thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I
may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in
the plain road!
2 Nephi 4:33
33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy
righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape
before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me!
Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way--but that thou
wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the
ways of mine enemy.
2 Nephi 4:34
34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee
forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know
that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh.
Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh
his arm.
2 Nephi 4:35
35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh.
Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will
lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God,
the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever
ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.
2 Nephi 5
Chapter 5
2 Nephi 5:1
1 Behold, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cry much unto the
Lord my God, because of the anger of my brethren.
2 Nephi 5:2
2 But behold, their anger did increase against me, insomuch that
they did seek to take away my life.
2 Nephi 5:3
3 Yea, they did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother
thinks to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of
him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted
more because of his words. For behold, we will not have him to
be our ruler; for it belongs unto us, who are the elder brethren,
to rule over this people.
2 Nephi 5:4
4 Now I do not write upon these plates all the words which they
murmured against me. But it sufficeth me to say, that they did
seek to take away my life.
2 Nephi 5:5
5 And it came to pass that the Lord did warn me, that I, Nephi,
should depart from them and flee into the wilderness, and all
those who would go with me.
2 Nephi 5:6
6 Wherefore, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did take my family,
and also Zoram and his family, and Sam, mine elder brother and
his family, and Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also
my sisters, and all those who would go with me. And all those
who would go with me were those who believed in the warnings and
the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my
words.
2 Nephi 5:7
7 And we did take our tents and whatsoever things were possible
for us, and did journey in the wilderness for the space of many
days. And after we had journeyed for the space of many days we
did pitch our tents.
2 Nephi 5:8
8 And my people would that we should call the name of the place
Nephi; wherefore, we did call it Nephi.
2 Nephi 5:9
9 And all those who were with me did take upon them to call
themselves the people of Nephi.
2 Nephi 5:10
10 And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes,
and the commandments of the Lord in all things according to the
law of Moses.
2 Nephi 5:11
11 And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly; for
we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance. And we
began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind.
2 Nephi 5:12
12 And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were
engraven upon the plates of brass; and also the ball, or compass,
which was prepared for my father by the hand of the Lord,
according to that which is written.
2 Nephi 5:13
13 And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly, and
to multiply in the land.
2 Nephi 5:14
14 And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the
manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people
who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us;
for I knew their hatred towards me and my children and those who
were called my people.
2 Nephi 5:15
15 And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in
all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and
of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which
were in great abundance.
2 Nephi 5:16
16 And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it
after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built
of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon
the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon's
temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the
temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly
fine.
2 Nephi 5:17
17 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be
industrious, and to labor with their hands.
2 Nephi 5:18
18 And it came to pass that they would that I should be their
king. But I, Nephi, was desirous that they should have no king;
nevertheless, I did for them according to that which was in my
power.
2 Nephi 5:19
19 And behold, the words of the Lord had been fulfilled unto my
brethren, which he spake concerning them, that I should be their
ruler and their teacher. Wherefore, I had been their ruler and
their teacher, according to the commandments of the Lord, until
the time they sought to take away my life.
2 Nephi 5:20
20 Wherefore, the word of the Lord was fulfilled which he spake
unto me, saying that: Inasmuch as they will not hearken unto thy
words they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And
behold, they were cut off from his presence.
2 Nephi 5:21
21 And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a
sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had
hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto
a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and
delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the
Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.
2 Nephi 5:22
22 And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be
loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their
iniquities.
2 Nephi 5:23
23 And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their
seed; for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing. And
the Lord spake it, and it was done.
2 Nephi 5:24
24 And because of their cursing which was upon them they did
become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did
seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey.
2 Nephi 5:25
25 And the Lord God said unto me: They shall be a scourge unto
thy seed, to stir them up in remembrance of me; and inasmuch as
they will not remember me, and hearken unto my words, they shall
scourge them even unto destruction.
2 Nephi 5:26
26 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and
Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of
my people.
2 Nephi 5:27
27 And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of
happiness.
2 Nephi 5:28
28 And thirty years had passed away from the time we left
Jerusalem.
2 Nephi 5:29
29 And I, Nephi, had kept the records upon my plates, which I
had made, of my people thus far.
2 Nephi 5:30
30 And it came to pass that the Lord God said unto me: Make
other plates; and thou shalt engraven many things upon them which
are good in my sight, for the profit of thy people.
2 Nephi 5:31
31 Wherefore, I, Nephi, to be obedient to the commandments of
the Lord, went and made these plates upon which I have engraven
these things.
2 Nephi 5:32
32 And I engraved that which is pleasing unto God. And if my
people are pleased with the things of God they will be pleased
with mine engravings which are upon these plates.
2 Nephi 5:33
33 And if my people desire to know the more particular part of
the history of my people they must search mine other plates.
2 Nephi 5:34
34 And it sufficeth me to say that forty years had passed away,
and we had already had wars and contentions with our brethren.
2 Nephi 6
Chapter 6
2 Nephi 6:1
1 The words of Jacob, the brother of Nephi, which he spake unto
the people of Nephi:
2 Nephi 6:2
2 Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of
God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having
been consecrated by my brother Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king
or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety, behold ye know
that I have spoken unto you exceedingly many things.
2 Nephi 6:3
3 Nevertheless, I speak unto you again; for I am desirous for
the welfare of your souls. Yea, mine anxiety is great for you;
and ye yourselves know that it ever has been. For I have
exhorted you with all diligence; and I have taught you the words
of my father; and I have spoken unto you concerning all things
which are written, from the creation of the world.
2 Nephi 6:4
4 And now, behold, I would speak unto you concerning things
which are, and which are to come; wherefore, I will read you the
words of Isaiah. And they are the words which my brother has
desired that I should speak unto you. And I speak unto you for
your sakes, that ye may learn and glorify the name of your God.
2 Nephi 6:5
5 And now, the words which I shall read are they which Isaiah
spake concerning all the house of Israel; wherefore, they may be
likened unto you, for ye are of the house of Israel. And there
are many things which have been spoken by Isaiah which may be
likened unto you, because ye are of the house of Israel.
2 Nephi 6:6
6 And now these are the words: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold,
I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard
to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and
thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
2 Nephi 6:7
7 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy
nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their faces
towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou
shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that
wait for me.
2 Nephi 6:8
8 And now I, Jacob, would speak somewhat concerning these words.
For behold, the Lord has shown me that those who were at
Jerusalem, from whence we came, have been slain and carried away
captive.
2 Nephi 6:9
9 Nevertheless, the Lord has shown unto me that they should
return again. And he also has shown unto me that the Lord God,
the Holy One of Israel, should manifest himself unto them in the
flesh; and after he should manifest himself they should scourge
him and crucify him, according to the words of the angel who
spake it unto me.
2 Nephi 6:10
10 And after they have hardened their hearts and stiffened their
necks against the Holy One of Israel, behold the judgments of the
Holy One of Israel shall come upon them. And the day cometh that
they shall be smitten and afflicted.
2 Nephi 6:11
11 Wherefore, after they are driven to and fro, for thus saith
the angel, many shall be afflicted in the flesh, and shall not be
suffered to perish, because of the prayers of the faithful; they
shall be scattered, and smitten, and hated; nevertheless, the
Lord will be merciful unto them, that when they shall come to the
knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered together
again to the lands of their inheritance.
2 Nephi 6:12
12 And blessed are the Gentiles, they of whom the prophet has
written; for behold, if it so be that they shall repent and fight
not against Zion, and do not unite themselves to that great and
abominable church, they shall be saved; for the Lord God will
fulfil his covenants which he has made unto his children; and for
this cause the prophet has written these things.
2 Nephi 6:13
13 Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant
people of the Lord shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the
people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the
Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the
coming of the Messiah.
2 Nephi 6:14
14 And behold, according to the words of the prophet, the
Messiah will set himself again the second time to recover them;
wherefore, he will manifest himself unto them in power and great
glory, unto the destruction of their enemies, when that day
cometh when they shall believe in him; and none will he destroy
that believe in him.
2 Nephi 6:15
15 And they that believe not in him shall be destroyed, both by
fire, and by tempest, and by earthquakes, and by bloodsheds, and
by pestilence, and by famine. And they shall know that the Lord
is God, the Holy One of Israel.
2 Nephi 6:16
16 For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful
captive delivered?
2 Nephi 6:17
17 But thus saith the Lord: Even the captives of the mighty
shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be
delivered; for the Mighty God shall deliver his covenant people.
For thus saith the Lord: I will contend with them that contendeth
with thee--
2 Nephi 6:18
18 And I will feed them that oppress thee, with their own flesh;
and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet
wine; and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and
thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
2 Nephi 7
Chapter 7
2 Nephi 7:1
1 Yea, for thus saith the Lord: Have I put thee away, or have I
cast thee off forever? For thus saith the Lord: Where is the
bill of your mother's divorcement? To whom have I put thee away,
or to which of my creditors have I sold you? Yea, to whom have I
sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves,
and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
2 Nephi 7:2
2 Wherefore, when I came, there was no man; when I called, yea,
there was none to answer. O house of Israel, is my hand
shortened at all that it cannot redeem, or have I no power to
deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make their
rivers a wilderness and their fish to stink because the waters
are dried up, and they die because of thirst.
2 Nephi 7:3
3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth
their covering.
2 Nephi 7:4
4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I
should know how to speak a word in season unto thee, O house of
Israel. When ye are weary he waketh morning by morning. He
waketh mine ear to hear as the learned.
2 Nephi 7:5
5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious,
neither turned away back.
2 Nephi 7:6
6 I gave my back to the smiter, and my cheeks to them that
plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
2 Nephi 7:7
7 For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be
confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I
know that I shall not be ashamed.
2 Nephi 7:8
8 And the Lord is near, and he justifieth me. Who will contend
with me? Let us stand together. Who is mine adversary? Let him
come near me, and I will smite him with the strength of my mouth.
2 Nephi 7:9
9 For the Lord God will help me. And all they who shall condemn
me, behold, all they shall wax old as a garment, and the moth
shall eat them up.
2 Nephi 7:10
10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the
voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?
2 Nephi 7:11
11 Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about
with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks
which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand--ye shall
lie down in sorrow.
2 Nephi 8
Chapter 8
2 Nephi 8:1
1 Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness. Look
unto the rock from whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit
from whence ye are digged.
2 Nephi 8:2
2 Look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah, she that bare
you; for I called him alone, and blessed him.
2 Nephi 8:3
3 For the Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste
places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert
like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found
therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.
2 Nephi 8:4
4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation;
for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to
rest for a light for the people.
2 Nephi 8:5
5 My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine
arm shall judge the people. The isles shall wait upon me, and on
mine arm shall they trust.
2 Nephi 8:6
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth
beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the
earth shall wax old like a garment; and they that dwell therein
shall die in like manner. But my salvation shall be forever, and
my righteousness shall not be abolished.
2 Nephi 8:7
7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in
whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of
men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
2 Nephi 8:8
8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm
shall eat them like wool. But my righteousness shall be forever,
and my salvation from generation to generation.
2 Nephi 8:9
9 Awake, awake! Put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake as in
the ancient days. Art thou not he that hath cut Rahab, and
wounded the dragon?
2 Nephi 8:10
10 Art thou not he who hath dried the sea, the waters of the
great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the
ransomed to pass over?
2 Nephi 8:11
11 Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come
with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be
upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow
and mourning shall flee away.
2 Nephi 8:12
12 I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you. Behold, who art
thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of man, who shall die, and of
the son of man, who shall be made like unto grass?
2 Nephi 8:13
13 And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth
the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and hast
feared continually every day, because of the fury of the
oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? And where is the fury
of the oppressor?
2 Nephi 8:14
14 The captive exile hasteneth, that he may be loosed, and that
he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.
2 Nephi 8:15
15 But I am the Lord thy God, whose waves roared; the Lord of
Hosts is my name.
2 Nephi 8:16
16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee
in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens and lay
the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion: Behold, thou art
my people.
2 Nephi 8:17
17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the
hand of the Lord the cup of his fury--thou hast drunken the dregs
of the cup of trembling wrung out--
2 Nephi 8:18
18 And none to guide her among all the sons she hath brought
forth; neither that taketh her by the hand, of all the sons she
hath brought up.
2 Nephi 8:19
19 These two sons are come unto thee, who shall be sorry for
thee--thy desolation and destruction, and the famine and the
sword--and by whom shall I comfort thee?
2 Nephi 8:20
20 Thy sons have fainted, save these two; they lie at the head
of all the streets; as a wild bull in a net, they are full of the
fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God.
2 Nephi 8:21
21 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, and not
with wine:
2 Nephi 8:22
22 Thus saith thy Lord, the Lord and thy God pleadeth the cause
of his people; behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of
trembling, the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more
drink it again.
2 Nephi 8:23
23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee;
who have said to thy soul: Bow down, that we may go over--and
thou hast laid thy body as the ground and as the street to them
that went over.
2 Nephi 8:24
24 Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy
beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth
there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the
unclean.
2 Nephi 8:25
25 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem;
loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of
Zion.
2 Nephi 9
Chapter 9
2 Nephi 9:1
1 And now, my beloved brethren, I have read these things that ye
might know concerning the covenants of the Lord that he has
covenanted with all the house of Israel--
2 Nephi 9:2
2 That he has spoken unto the Jews, by the mouth of his holy
prophets, even from the beginning down, from generation to
generation, until the time comes that they shall be restored to
the true church and fold of God; when they shall be gathered home
to the lands of their inheritance, and shall be established in
all their lands of promise.
2 Nephi 9:3
3 Behold, my beloved brethren, I speak unto you these things
that ye may rejoice, and lift up your heads forever, because of
the blessings which the Lord God shall bestow upon your children.
2 Nephi 9:4
4 For I know that ye have searched much, many of you, to know of
things to come; wherefore I know that ye know that our flesh must
waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God.
2 Nephi 9:5
5 Yea, I know that ye know that in the body he shall show
himself unto those at Jerusalem, from whence we came; for it is
expedient that it should be among them; for it behooveth the
great Creator that he suffereth himself to become subject unto
man in the flesh, and die for all men, that all men might become
subject unto him.
2 Nephi 9:6
6 For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful
plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of
resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by
reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression;
and because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence
of the Lord.
2 Nephi 9:7
7 Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement--save it
should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on
incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man
must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this
flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother
earth, to rise no more.
2 Nephi 9:8
8 O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the
flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that
angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and
became the devil, to rise no more.
2 Nephi 9:9
9 And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become
devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of
our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like
unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents,
who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and
stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of
murder and all manner of secret works of darkness.
2 Nephi 9:10
10 O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for
our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that
monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and
also the death of the spirit.
2 Nephi 9:11
11 And because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy
One of Israel, this death, of which I have spoken, which is the
temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is the grave.
2 Nephi 9:12
12 And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual
death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell;
wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell
must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver
up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will
be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the
resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.
2 Nephi 9:13
13 O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the
paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and
the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit
and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become
incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a
perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our
knowledge shall be perfect.
2 Nephi 9:14
14 Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our
guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous
shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their
righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe
of righteousness.
2 Nephi 9:15
15 And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed
from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become
immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy
One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they
be judged according to the holy judgment of God.
2 Nephi 9:16
16 And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath
spoken it, and it is his eternal word, which cannot pass away,
that they who are righteous shall be righteous still, and they
who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are
filthy are the devil and his angels; and they shall go away into
everlasting fire; prepared for them; and their torment is as a
lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and
ever and has no end.
2 Nephi 9:17
17 O the greatness and the justice of our God! For he executeth
all his words, and they have gone forth out of his mouth, and his
law must be fulfilled.
2 Nephi 9:18
18 But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of
Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they
who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame
of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared
for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be
full forever.
2 Nephi 9:19
19 O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of
Israel! For he delivereth his saints from that awful monster the
devil, and death, and hell, and that lake of fire and brimstone,
which is endless torment.
2 Nephi 9:20
20 O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all
things, and there is not anything save he knows it.
2 Nephi 9:21
21 And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they
will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains
of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men,
women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam.
2 Nephi 9:22
22 And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon
all men, that all might stand before him at the great and
judgment day.
2 Nephi 9:23
23 And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be
baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of
Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.
2 Nephi 9:24
24 And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be
baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned;
for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it.
2 Nephi 9:25
25 Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law
given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment
there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the
mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because
of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him.
2 Nephi 9:26
26 For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon
all those who have not the law given to them, that they are
delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil,
and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and
they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the
Holy One of Israel.
2 Nephi 9:27
27 But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the
commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them,
and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his
state!
2 Nephi 9:28
28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the
frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned
they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel
of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves,
wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not.
And they shall perish.
2 Nephi 9:29
29 But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels
of God.
2 Nephi 9:30
30 But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the
world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they
persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures;
wherefore, their treasure is their God. And behold, their
treasure shall perish with them also.
2 Nephi 9:31
31 And wo unto the deaf that will not hear; for they shall
perish.
2 Nephi 9:32
32 Wo unto the blind that will not see; for they shall perish
also.
2 Nephi 9:33
33 Wo unto the uncircumcised of heart, for a knowledge of their
iniquities shall smite them at the last day.
2 Nephi 9:34
34 Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell.
2 Nephi 9:35
35 Wo unto the murderer who deliberately killeth, for he shall
die.
2 Nephi 9:36
36 Wo unto them who commit whoredoms, for they shall be thrust
down to hell.
2 Nephi 9:37
37 Yea, wo unto those that worship idols, for the devil of all
devils delighteth in them.
2 Nephi 9:38
38 And, in fine, wo unto all those who die in their sins; for
they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in
their sins.
2 Nephi 9:39
39 O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in
transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of
yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be
carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life
eternal.
2 Nephi 9:40
40 O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words. Remember the
greatness of the Holy One of Israel. Do not say that I have
spoken hard things against you; for if ye do, ye will revile
against the truth; for I have spoken the words of your Maker. I
know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness;
but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are
not shaken.
2 Nephi 9:41
41 O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy
One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for
man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and
the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he
employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it
be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is
his name.
2 Nephi 9:42
42 And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and
the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of
their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches--yea, they are
they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things
away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in
the depths of humility, he will not open unto them.
2 Nephi 9:43
43 But the things of the wise and the prudent shall be hid from
them forever--yea, that happiness which is prepared for the
saints.
2 Nephi 9:44
44 O, my beloved brethren, remember my words. Behold, I take
off my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God of
my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye;
wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be
judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I
shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with
brightness before him, and am rid of your blood.
2 Nephi 9:45
45 O, my beloved brethren, turn away from your sins; shake off
the chains of him that would bind you fast; come unto that God
who is the rock of your salvation.
2 Nephi 9:46
46 Prepare your souls for that glorious day when justice shall
be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment,
that ye may not shrink with awful fear; that ye may not remember
your awful guilt in perfectness, and be constrained to exclaim:
Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty--but I know my
guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressions are mine;
and the devil hath obtained me, that I am a prey to his awful
misery.
2 Nephi 9:47
47 But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake
you to an awful reality of these things? Would I harrow up your
souls if your minds were pure? Would I be plain unto you
according to the plainness of the truth if ye were freed from
sin?
2 Nephi 9:48
48 Behold, if ye were holy I would speak unto you of holiness;
but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must
needs be expedient that I teach you the consequences of sin.
2 Nephi 9:49
49 Behold, my soul abhorreth sin, and my heart delighteth in
righteousness; and I will praise the holy name of my God.
2 Nephi 9:50
50 Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the
waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come
buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Nephi 9:51
51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth,
nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently
unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come
unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth
not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in
fatness.
2 Nephi 9:52
52 Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God;
pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy
name by night. Let your hearts rejoice.
2 Nephi 9:53
53 And behold how great the covenants of the Lord, and how great
his condescensions unto the children of men; and because of his
greatness, and his grace and mercy, he has promised unto us that
our seed shall not utterly be destroyed, according to the flesh,
but that he would preserve them; and in future generations they
shall become a righteous branch unto the house of Israel.
2 Nephi 9:54
54 And now, my brethren, I would speak unto you more; but on the
morrow I will declare unto you the remainder of my words. Amen.
2 Nephi 10
Chapter 10
2 Nephi 10:1
1 And now I, Jacob, speak unto you again, my beloved brethren,
concerning this righteous branch of which I have spoken.
2 Nephi 10:2
2 For behold, the promises which we have obtained are promises
unto us according to the flesh; wherefore, as it has been shown
unto me that many of our children shall perish in the flesh
because of unbelief, nevertheless, God will be merciful unto
many; and our children shall be restored, that they may come to
that which will give them the true knowledge of their Redeemer.
2 Nephi 10:3
3 Wherefore, as I said unto you, it must needs be expedient that
Christ--for in the last night the angel spake unto me that this
should be his name--should come among the Jews, among those who
are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify
him--for thus it behooveth our God, and there is none other
nation on earth that would crucify their God.
2 Nephi 10:4
4 For should the mighty miracles be wrought among other nations
they would repent, and know that he be their God.
2 Nephi 10:5
5 But because of priestcrafts and iniquities, they at Jerusalem
will stiffen their necks against him, that he be crucified.
2 Nephi 10:6
6 Wherefore, because of their iniquities, destructions, famines,
pestilences, and bloodshed shall come upon them; and they who
shall not be destroyed shall be scattered among all nations.
2 Nephi 10:7
7 But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that
they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I
covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the
flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance.
2 Nephi 10:8
8 And it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in from
their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the
four parts of the earth; and the nations of the Gentiles shall be
great in the eyes of me, saith God, in carrying them forth to the
lands of their inheritance.
2 Nephi 10:9
9 Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto
them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers; wherefore,
the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles, for he hath
spoken it, and who can dispute?
2 Nephi 10:10
10 But behold, this land, said God, shall be a land of thine
inheritance, and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land.
2 Nephi 10:11
11 And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles,
and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up
unto the Gentiles.
2 Nephi 10:12
12 And I will fortify this land against all other nations.
2 Nephi 10:13
13 And he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, saith God.
2 Nephi 10:14
14 For he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish, for I,
the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a
light unto them forever, that hear my words.
2 Nephi 10:15
15 Wherefore, for this cause, that my covenants may be fulfilled
which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto
them while they are in the flesh, I must needs destroy the secret
works of darkness, and of murders, and of abominations.
2 Nephi 10:16
16 Wherefore, he that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and
Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish;
for they are they who are the whore of all the earth; for they
who are not for me are against me, saith our God.
2 Nephi 10:17
17 For I will fulfil my promises which I have made unto the
children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the
flesh--
2 Nephi 10:18
18 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, thus saith our God: I will
afflict thy seed by the hand of the Gentiles; nevertheless, I
will soften the hearts of the Gentiles, that they shall be like
unto a father to them; wherefore, the Gentiles shall be blessed
and numbered among the house of Israel.
2 Nephi 10:19
19 Wherefore, I will consecrate this land unto thy seed, and
them who shall be numbered among thy seed, forever, for the land
of their inheritance; for it is a choice land, saith God unto me,
above all other lands, wherefore I will have all men that dwell
thereon that they shall worship me, saith God.
2 Nephi 10:20
20 And now, my beloved brethren, seeing that our merciful God
has given us so great knowledge concerning these things, let us
remember him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang down our
heads, for we are not cast off; nevertheless, we have been driven
out of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a
better land, for the Lord has made the sea our path, and we are
upon an isle of the sea.
2 Nephi 10:21
21 But great are the promises of the Lord unto them who are upon
the isles of the sea; wherefore as it says isles, there must
needs be more than this, and they are inhabited also by our
brethren.
2 Nephi 10:22
22 For behold, the Lord God has led away from time to time from
the house of Israel, according to his will and pleasure. And now
behold, the Lord remembereth all them who have been broken off,
wherefore he remembereth us also.
2 Nephi 10:23
23 Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are
free to act for yourselves--to choose the way of everlasting
death or the way of eternal life.
2 Nephi 10:24
24 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the
will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and
remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in
and through the grace of God that ye are saved.
2 Nephi 10:25
25 Wherefore, may God raise you from death by the power of the
resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the power of the
atonement, that ye may be received into the eternal kingdom of
God, that ye may praise him through grace divine. Amen.
2 Nephi 11
Chapter 11
2 Nephi 11:1
1 And now, Jacob spake many more things to my people at that
time; nevertheless only these things have I caused to be written,
for the things which I have written sufficeth me.
2 Nephi 11:2
2 And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my
soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my
people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he
verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him.
2 Nephi 11:3
3 And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen him;
wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to
prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words
of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless,
God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words.
2 Nephi 11:4
4 Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth
of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses
been given; and all things which have been given of God from the
beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.
2 Nephi 11:5
5 And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which
he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his
grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and
eternal plan of deliverance from death.
2 Nephi 11:6
6 And my soul delighteth in proving unto my people that save
Christ should come all men must perish.
2 Nephi 11:7
7 For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if there be no
God we are not, for there could have been no creation. But there
is a God, and he is Christ, and he cometh in the fulness of his
own time.
2 Nephi 11:8
8 And now I write some of the words of Isaiah, that whoso of my
people shall see these words may lift up their hearts and rejoice
for all men. Now these are the words, and ye may liken them unto
you and unto all men.
2 Nephi 12
Chapter 12
2 Nephi 12:1
1 The word that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah
and Jerusalem:
2 Nephi 12:2
2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, when the mountain
of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations
shall flow unto it.
2 Nephi 12:3
3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to
the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and
he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for
out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from
Jerusalem.
2 Nephi 12:4
4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many
people: and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and
their spears into pruning-hooks--nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
2 Nephi 12:5
5 O house of Jacob, come ye and let us walk in the light of the
Lord; yea, come, for ye have all gone astray, every one to his
wicked ways.
2 Nephi 12:6
6 Therefore, O Lord, thou hast forsaken thy people, the house of
Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and hearken
unto soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves
in the children of strangers.
2 Nephi 12:7
7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there
any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses,
neither is there any end of their chariots.
2 Nephi 12:8
8 Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of
their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.
2 Nephi 12:9
9 And the mean man boweth not down, and the great man humbleth
himself not, therefore, forgive him not.
2 Nephi 12:10
10 O ye wicked ones, enter into the rock, and hide thee in the
dust, for the fear of the Lord and the glory of his majesty shall
smite thee.
2 Nephi 12:11
11 And it shall come to pass that the lofty looks of man shall
be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and
the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
2 Nephi 12:12
12 For the day of the Lord of Hosts soon cometh upon all
nations, yea, upon every one; yea, upon the proud and lofty, and
upon every one who is lifted up, and he shall be brought low.
2 Nephi 12:13
13 Yea, and the day of the Lord shall come upon all the cedars
of Lebanon, for they are high and lifted up; and upon all the
oaks of Bashan;
2 Nephi 12:14
14 And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills, and
upon all the nations which are lifted up, and upon every people;
2 Nephi 12:15
15 And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall;
2 Nephi 12:16
16 And upon all the ships of the sea, and upon all the ships of
Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.
2 Nephi 12:17
17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the
haughtiness of men shall be made low; and the Lord alone shall be
exalted in that day.
2 Nephi 12:18
18 And the idols he shall utterly abolish.
2 Nephi 12:19
19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the
caves of the earth, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them
and the glory of his majesty shall smite them, when he ariseth to
shake terribly the earth.
2 Nephi 12:20
20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his
idols of gold, which he hath made for himself to worship, to the
moles and to the bats;
2 Nephi 12:21
21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the
ragged rocks, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them and
the majesty of his glory shall smite them, when he ariseth to
shake terribly the earth.
2 Nephi 12:22
22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for
wherein is he to be accounted of?
2 Nephi 13
Chapter 13
2 Nephi 13:1
1 For behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, doth take away from
Jerusalem, and from Judah, the stay and the staff, the whole
staff of bread, and the whole stay of water--
2 Nephi 13:2
2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the
prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient;
2 Nephi 13:3
3 The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the
counselor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
2 Nephi 13:4
4 And I will give children unto them to be their princes, and
babes shall rule over them.
2 Nephi 13:5
5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and
every one by his neighbor; the child shall behave himself proudly
against the ancient, and the base against the honorable.
2 Nephi 13:6
6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his
father, and shall say: Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and
let not this ruin come under thy hand--
2 Nephi 13:7
7 In that day shall he swear, saying: I will not be a healer;
for in my house there is neither bread nor clothing; make me not
a ruler of the people.
2 Nephi 13:8
8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen, because their
tongues and their doings have been against the Lord, to provoke
the eyes of his glory.
2 Nephi 13:9
9 The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and
doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom, and they cannot hide
it. Wo unto their souls, for they have rewarded evil unto
themselves!
2 Nephi 13:10
10 Say unto the righteous that it is well with them; for they
shall eat the fruit of their doings.
2 Nephi 13:11
11 Wo unto the wicked, for they shall perish; for the reward of
their hands shall be upon them!
2 Nephi 13:12
12 And my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule
over them. O my people, they who lead thee cause thee to err and
destroy the way of thy paths.
2 Nephi 13:13
13 The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the
people.
2 Nephi 13:14
14 The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his
people and the princes thereof; for ye have eaten up the vineyard
and the spoil of the poor in your houses.
2 Nephi 13:15
15 What mean ye? Ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the
faces of the poor, saith the Lord God of Hosts.
2 Nephi 13:16
16 Moreover, the Lord saith: Because the daughters of Zion are
haughty, and walk with stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes,
walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their
feet--
2 Nephi 13:17
17 Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the
head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their
secret parts.
2 Nephi 13:18
18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their
tinkling ornaments, and cauls, and round tires like the moon;
2 Nephi 13:19
19 The chains and the bracelets, and the mufflers;
2 Nephi 13:20
20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the
headbands, and the tablets, and the ear-rings;
2 Nephi 13:21
21 The rings, and nose jewels;
2 Nephi 13:22
22 The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the
wimples, and the crisping-pins;
2 Nephi 13:23
23 The glasses, and the fine linen, and hoods, and the veils.
2 Nephi 13:24
24 And it shall come to pass, instead of sweet smell there shall
be stink; and instead of a girdle, a rent; and instead of well
set hair, baldness; and instead of a stomacher, a girding of
sackcloth; burning instead of beauty.
2 Nephi 13:25
25 Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy mighty in the war.
2 Nephi 13:26
26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall be
desolate, and shall sit upon the ground.
2 Nephi 14
Chapter 14
2 Nephi 14:1
1 And in that day, seven women shall take hold of one man,
saying: We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; only
let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach.
2 Nephi 14:2
2 In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and
glorious; the fruit of the earth excellent and comely to them
that are escaped of Israel.
2 Nephi 14:3
3 And it shall come to pass, they that are left in Zion and
remain in Jerusalem shall be called holy, every one that is
written among the living in Jerusalem--
2 Nephi 14:4
4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the
daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem
from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment and by the
spirit of burning.
2 Nephi 14:5
5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of mount
Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the
shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory of
Zion shall be a defence.
2 Nephi 14:6
6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime
from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and a covert from storm
and from rain.
2 Nephi 15
Chapter 15
2 Nephi 15:1
1 And then will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved,
touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very
fruitful hill.
2 Nephi 15:2
2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and
planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst
of it, and also made a wine-press therein; and he looked that it
should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
2 Nephi 15:3
3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge,
I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
2 Nephi 15:4
4 What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not
done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth
grapes it brought forth wild grapes.
2 Nephi 15:5
5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my
vineyard--I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be
eaten up; and I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be
trodden down;
2 Nephi 15:6
6 And I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor digged;
but there shall come up briers and thorns; I will also command
the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
2 Nephi 15:7
7 For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah his pleasant plant; and he looked for
judgment, and behold, oppression; for righteousness, but behold,
a cry.
2 Nephi 15:8
8 Wo unto them that join house to house, till there can be no
place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!
2 Nephi 15:9
9 In mine ears, said the Lord of Hosts, of a truth many houses
shall be desolate, and great and fair cities without inhabitant.
2 Nephi 15:10
10 Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed
of a homer shall yield an ephah.
2 Nephi 15:11
11 Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may
follow strong drink, that continue until night, and wine inflame
them!
2 Nephi 15:12
12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine
are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of the Lord,
neither consider the operation of his hands.
2 Nephi 15:13
13 Therefore, my people are gone into captivity, because they
have no knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and
their multitude dried up with thirst.
2 Nephi 15:14
14 Therefore, hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth
without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their
pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
2 Nephi 15:15
15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man
shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled.
2 Nephi 15:16
16 But the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God
that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.
2 Nephi 15:17
17 Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste
places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.
2 Nephi 15:18
18 Wo unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin
as it were with a cart rope;
2 Nephi 15:19
19 That say: Let him make speed, hasten his work, that we may
see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh
and come, that we may know it.
2 Nephi 15:20
20 Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put
darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for
sweet, and sweet for bitter!
2 Nephi 15:21
21 Wo unto the wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own
sight!
2 Nephi 15:22
22 Wo unto the mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to
mingle strong drink;
2 Nephi 15:23
23 Who justify the wicked for reward, and take away the
righteousness of the righteous from him!
2 Nephi 15:24
24 Therefore, as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame
consumeth the chaff, their root shall be rottenness, and their
blossoms shall go up as dust; because they have cast away the law
of the Lord of Hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of
Israel.
2 Nephi 15:25
25 Therefore, is the anger of the Lord kindled against his
people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and
hath smitten them; and the hills did tremble, and their carcasses
were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is
not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
2 Nephi 15:26
26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and
will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; and behold, they
shall come with speed swiftly; none shall be weary nor stumble
among them.
2 Nephi 15:27
27 None shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of
their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken;
2 Nephi 15:28
28 Whose arrows shall be sharp, and all their bows bent, and
their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels
like a whirlwind, their roaring like a lion.
2 Nephi 15:29
29 They shall roar like young lions; yea, they shall roar, and
lay hold of the prey, and shall carry away safe, and none shall
deliver.
2 Nephi 15:30
30 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring
of the sea; and if they look unto the land, behold, darkness and
sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.
2 Nephi 16
Chapter 16
2 Nephi 16:1
1 In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting
upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the
temple.
2 Nephi 16:2
2 Above it stood the seraphim; each one had six wings; with
twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet,
and with twain he did fly.
2 Nephi 16:3
3 And one cried unto another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, is the
Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.
2 Nephi 16:4
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that
cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
2 Nephi 16:5
5 Then said I: Wo is unto me! for I am undone; because I am a
man of unclean lips; and I dwell in the midst of a people of
unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of
Hosts.
2 Nephi 16:6
6 Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in
his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar;
2 Nephi 16:7
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said: Lo, this has touched
thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
2 Nephi 16:8
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send,
and who will go for us? Then I said: Here am I; send me.
2 Nephi 16:9
9 And he said: Go and tell this people--Hear ye indeed, but they
understood not; and see ye indeed, but they perceived not.
2 Nephi 16:10
10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy,
and shut their eyes--lest they see with their eyes, and hear with
their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and
be healed.
2 Nephi 16:11
11 Then said I: Lord, how long? And he said: Until the cities
be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the
land be utterly desolate;
2 Nephi 16:12
12 And the Lord have removed men far away, for there shall be a
great forsaking in the midst of the land.
2 Nephi 16:13
13 But yet there shall be a tenth, and they shall return, and
shall be eaten, as a teil-tree, and as an oak whose substance is
in them when they cast their leaves; so the holy seed shall be
the substance thereof.
2 Nephi 17
Chapter 17
2 Nephi 17:1
1 And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the
son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin, king of Syria, and
Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward
Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.
2 Nephi 17:2
2 And it was told the house of David, saying: Syria is
confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart
of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.
2 Nephi 17:3
3 Then said the Lord unto Isaiah: Go forth now to meet Ahaz,
thou and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the
upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;
2 Nephi 17:4
4 And say unto him: Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither
be faint-hearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands,
for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of
Remaliah.
2 Nephi 17:5
5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken
evil counsel against thee, saying:
2 Nephi 17:6
6 Let us go up against Judah and vex it, and let us make a
breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, yea,
the son of Tabeal.
2 Nephi 17:7
7 Thus saith the Lord God: It shall not stand, neither shall it
come to pass.
2 Nephi 17:8
8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus,
Rezin; and within three score and five years shall Ephraim be
broken that it be not a people.
2 Nephi 17:9
9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is
Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe surely ye shall not be
established.
2 Nephi 17:10
10 Moreover, the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying:
2 Nephi 17:11
11 Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the
depths, or in the heights above.
2 Nephi 17:12
12 But Ahaz said: I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord.
2 Nephi 17:13
13 And he said: Hear ye now, O house of David; is it a small
thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?
2 Nephi 17:14
14 Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign--Behold, a
virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his
name Immanuel.
2 Nephi 17:15
15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the
evil and to choose the good.
2 Nephi 17:16
16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose
the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both
her kings.
2 Nephi 17:17
17 The Lord shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon
thy father's house, days that have not come from the day that
Ephraim departed from Judah, the king of Assyria.
2 Nephi 17:18
18 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall
hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of Egypt, and for
the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
2 Nephi 17:19
19 And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the
desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all
thorns, and upon all bushes.
2 Nephi 17:20
20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is
hired, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the
head, and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the
beard.
2 Nephi 17:21
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, a man shall nourish a
young cow and two sheep;
2 Nephi 17:22
22 And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk they
shall give he shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall every
one eat that is left in the land.
2 Nephi 17:23
23 And it shall come to pass in that day, every place shall be,
where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings,
which shall be for briers and thorns.
2 Nephi 17:24
24 With arrows and with bows shall men come thither, because all
the land shall become briers and thorns.
2 Nephi 17:25
25 And all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there
shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns; but it
shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and the treading of
lesser cattle.
2 Nephi 18
Chapter 18
2 Nephi 18:1
1 Moreover, the word of the Lord said unto me: Take thee a great
roll, and write in it with a man's pen, concerning
Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
2 Nephi 18:2
2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the
priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.
2 Nephi 18:3
3 And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived and bare a
son. Then said the Lord to me: Call his name,
Maher-shalal-hash-baz.
2 Nephi 18:4
4 For behold, the child shall not have knowledge to cry, My
father, and my mother, before the riches of Damascus and the
spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.
2 Nephi 18:5
5 The Lord spake also unto me again, saying:
2 Nephi 18:6
6 Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that
go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;
2 Nephi 18:7
7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the
waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria
and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels,
and go over all his banks.
2 Nephi 18:8
8 And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go
over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of
his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.
2 Nephi 18:9
9 Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in
pieces; and give ear all ye of far countries; gird yourselves,
and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall
be broken in pieces.
2 Nephi 18:10
10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the
word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us.
2 Nephi 18:11
11 For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and
instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people,
saying:
2 Nephi 18:12
12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all to whom this people shall
say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
2 Nephi 18:13
13 Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your fear,
and let him be your dread.
2 Nephi 18:14
14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of
stumbling, and for a rock of offense to both the houses of
Israel, for a gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
2 Nephi 18:15
15 And many among them shall stumble and fall, and be broken,
and be snared, and be taken.
2 Nephi 18:16
16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
2 Nephi 18:17
17 And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the
house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
2 Nephi 18:18
18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are
for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, which
dwelleth in Mount Zion.
2 Nephi 18:19
19 And when they shall say unto you: Seek unto them that have
familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and mutter--should
not a people seek unto their God for the living to hear from the
dead?
2 Nephi 18:20
20 To the law and to the testimony; and if they speak not
according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
2 Nephi 18:21
21 And they shall pass through it hardly bestead and hungry; and
it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry, they shall
fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look
upward.
2 Nephi 18:22
22 And they shall look unto the earth and behold trouble, and
darkness, dimness of anguish, and shall be driven to darkness.
2 Nephi 19
Chapter 19
2 Nephi 19:1
1 Nevertheless, the dimness shall not be such as was in her
vexation, when at first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun,
and the land of Naphtali, and afterwards did more grievously
afflict by the way of the Red Sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the
nations.
2 Nephi 19:2
2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light;
they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them
hath the light shined.
2 Nephi 19:3
3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and increased the joy--they
joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men
rejoice when they divide the spoil.
2 Nephi 19:4
4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of
his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor.
2 Nephi 19:5
5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and
garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel
of fire.
2 Nephi 19:6
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the
government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be
called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace.
2 Nephi 19:7
7 Of the increase of government and peace there is no end, upon
the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to
establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even
forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.
2 Nephi 19:8
8 The Lord sent his word unto Jacob and it hath lighted upon
Israel.
2 Nephi 19:9
9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the
inhabitants of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of
heart:
2 Nephi 19:10
10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn
stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into
cedars.
2 Nephi 19:11
11 Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin
against him, and join his enemies together;
2 Nephi 19:12
12 The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; and they shall
devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not
turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
2 Nephi 19:13
13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them,
neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts.
2 Nephi 19:14
14 Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail,
branch and rush in one day.
2 Nephi 19:15
15 The ancient, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth
lies, he is the tail.
2 Nephi 19:16
16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they
that are led of them are destroyed.
2 Nephi 19:17
17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men,
neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows; for
every one of them is a hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth
speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but
his hand is stretched out still.
2 Nephi 19:18
18 For wickedness burneth as the fire; it shall devour the
briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the
forests, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
2 Nephi 19:19
19 Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is the land darkened,
and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire; no man shall
spare his brother.
2 Nephi 19:20
20 And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry; and he
shall eat on the left hand and they shall not be satisfied; they
shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm--
2 Nephi 19:21
21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; they together shall
be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but
his hand is stretched out still.
2 Nephi 20
Chapter 20
2 Nephi 20:1
1 Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write
grievousness which they have prescribed;
2 Nephi 20:2
2 To turn away the needy from judgment, and to take away the
right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey,
and that they may rob the fatherless!
2 Nephi 20:3
3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the
desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for
help? and where will ye leave your glory?
2 Nephi 20:4
4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they
shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned
away, but his hand is stretched out still.
2 Nephi 20:5
5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand
is their indignation.
2 Nephi 20:6
6 I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the
people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil,
and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the
streets.
2 Nephi 20:7
7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so;
but in his heart it is to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
2 Nephi 20:8
8 For he saith: Are not my princes altogether kings?
2 Nephi 20:9
9 Is not Calno as Carchemish? Is not Hamath as Arpad? Is not
Samaria as Damascus?
2 Nephi 20:10
10 As my hand hath founded the kingdoms of the idols, and whose
graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;
2 Nephi 20:11
11 Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do
to Jerusalem and to her idols?
2 Nephi 20:12
12 Wherefore it shall come to pass that when the Lord hath
performed his whole work upon Mount Zion and upon Jerusalem, I
will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria,
and the glory of his high looks.
2 Nephi 20:13
13 For he saith: By the strength of my hand and by my wisdom I
have done these things; for I am prudent; and I have moved the
borders of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I
have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man;
2 Nephi 20:14
14 And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people;
and as one gathereth eggs that are left have I gathered all the
earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the
mouth, or peeped.
2 Nephi 20:15
15 Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith?
Shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? As if
the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as
if the staff should lift up itself as if it were no wood!
2 Nephi 20:16
16 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, send among his
fat ones, leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning
like the burning of a fire.
2 Nephi 20:17
17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One
for a flame, and shall burn and shall devour his thorns and his
briers in one day;
2 Nephi 20:18
18 And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his
fruitful field, both soul and body; and they shall be as when a
standard-bearer fainteth.
2 Nephi 20:19
19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a
child may write them.
2 Nephi 20:20
20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of
Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no
more again stay upon him that smote them, but shall stay upon the
Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
2 Nephi 20:21
21 The remnant shall return, yea, even the remnant of Jacob,
unto the mighty God.
2 Nephi 20:22
22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a
remnant of them shall return; the consumption decreed shall
overflow with righteousness.
2 Nephi 20:23
23 For the Lord God of Hosts shall make a consumption, even
determined in all the land.
2 Nephi 20:24
24 Therefore, thus saith the Lord God of Hosts: O my people that
dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian; he shall smite
thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after
the manner of Egypt.
2 Nephi 20:25
25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease,
and mine anger in their destruction.
2 Nephi 20:26
26 And the Lord of Hosts shall stir up a scourge for him
according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and as
his rod was upon the sea so shall he lift it up after the manner
of Egypt.
2 Nephi 20:27
27 And it shall come to pass in that day that his burden shall
be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy
neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
2 Nephi 20:28
28 He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he
hath laid up his carriages.
2 Nephi 20:29
29 They are gone over the passage; they have taken up their
lodging at Geba; Ramath is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.
2 Nephi 20:30
30 Lift up the voice, O daughter of Gallim; cause it to be heard
unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.
2 Nephi 20:31
31 Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather
themselves to flee.
2 Nephi 20:32
32 As yet shall he remain at Nob that day; he shall shake his
hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of
Jerusalem.
2 Nephi 20:33
33 Behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts shall lop the bough with
terror; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down; and the
haughty shall be humbled.
2 Nephi 20:34
34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forests with iron,
and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.
2 Nephi 21
Chapter 21
2 Nephi 21:1
1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and
a branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 Nephi 21:2
2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the
spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;
2 Nephi 21:3
3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the
Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither
reprove after the hearing of his ears.
2 Nephi 21:4
4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove
with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the
earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips
shall he slay the wicked.
2 Nephi 21:5
5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and
faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
2 Nephi 21:6
6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall
lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and
fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
2 Nephi 21:7
7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall
lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
2 Nephi 21:8
8 And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and
the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den.
2 Nephi 21:9
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for
the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the
waters cover the sea.
2 Nephi 21:10
10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall
stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek;
and his rest shall be glorious.
2 Nephi 21:11
11 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set
his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his
people which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and
from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and
from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
2 Nephi 21:12
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall
assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the
dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
2 Nephi 21:13
13 The envy of Ephraim also shall depart, and the adversaries of
Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah
shall not vex Ephraim.
2 Nephi 21:14
14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines
towards the west; they shall spoil them of the east together;
they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of
Ammon shall obey them.
2 Nephi 21:15
15 And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian
sea; and with his mighty wind he shall shake his hand over the
river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go
over dry shod.
2 Nephi 21:16
16 And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people
which shall be left, from Assyria, like as it was to Israel in
the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
2 Nephi 22
Chapter 22
2 Nephi 22:1
1 And in that day thou shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee;
though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away, and
thou comfortedst me.
2 Nephi 22:2
2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid;
for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has
become my salvation.
2 Nephi 22:3
3 Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of
salvation.
2 Nephi 22:4
4 And in that day shall ye say: Praise the Lord, call upon his
name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his
name is exalted.
2 Nephi 22:5
5 Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; this is
known in all the earth.
2 Nephi 22:6
6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the
Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
2 Nephi 23
Chapter 23
2 Nephi 23:1
1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
2 Nephi 23:2
2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice
unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the
nobles.
2 Nephi 23:3
3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my
mighty ones, for mine anger is not upon them that rejoice in my
highness.
2 Nephi 23:4
4 The noise of the multitude in the mountains like as of a great
people, a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered
together, the Lord of Hosts mustereth the hosts of the battle.
2 Nephi 23:5
5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, yea, the
Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole
land.
2 Nephi 23:6
6 Howl ye, for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as
a destruction from the Almighty.
2 Nephi 23:7
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, every man's heart shall
melt;
2 Nephi 23:8
8 And they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of
them; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be
as flames.
2 Nephi 23:9
9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and
fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the
sinners thereof out of it.
2 Nephi 23:10
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall
not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in his going
forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
2 Nephi 23:11
11 And I will punish the world for evil, and the wicked for
their iniquity; I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease,
and will lay down the haughtiness of the terrible.
2 Nephi 23:12
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man
than the golden wedge of Ophir.
2 Nephi 23:13
13 Therefore, I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall
remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of Hosts, and
in the day of his fierce anger.
2 Nephi 23:14
14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man
taketh up; and they shall every man turn to his own people, and
flee every one into his own land.
2 Nephi 23:15
15 Every one that is proud shall be thrust through; yea, and
every one that is joined to the wicked shall fall by the sword.
2 Nephi 23:16
16 Their children, also shall be dashed to pieces before their
eyes; their houses shall be spoiled and their wives ravished.
2 Nephi 23:17
17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall
not regard silver and gold, nor shall they delight in it.
2 Nephi 23:18
18 Their bows shall also dash the young men to pieces, and they
shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not
spare children.
2 Nephi 23:19
19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the
Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and
Gomorrah.
2 Nephi 23:20
20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in
from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch
tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
2 Nephi 23:21
21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their
houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell
there, and satyrs shall dance there.
2 Nephi 23:22
22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their
desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces; and her
time is near to come, and her day shall not be prolonged. For I
will destroy her speedily; yea, for I will be merciful unto my
people, but the wicked shall perish.
2 Nephi 24
Chapter 24
2 Nephi 24:1
1 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose
Israel, and set them in their own land; and the strangers shall
be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.
2 Nephi 24:2
2 And the people shall take them and bring them to their place;
yea, from far unto the ends of the earth; and they shall return
to their lands of promise. And the house of Israel shall possess
them, and the land of the Lord shall be for servants and
handmaids; and they shall take them captives unto whom they were
captives; and they shall rule over their oppressors.
2 Nephi 24:3
3 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall give
thee rest, from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard
bondage wherein thou wast made to serve.
2 Nephi 24:4
4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that thou shalt take up
this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say: How hath the
oppressor ceased, the golden city ceased!
2 Nephi 24:5
5 The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, the scepters of
the rulers.
2 Nephi 24:6
6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he
that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none
hindereth.
2 Nephi 24:7
7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet; they break forth
into singing.
2 Nephi 24:8
8 Yea, the fir-trees rejoice at thee, and also the cedars of
Lebanon, saying: Since thou art laid down no feller is come up
against us.
2 Nephi 24:9
9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy
coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones
of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings
of the nations.
2 Nephi 24:10
10 All they shall speak and say unto thee: Art thou also become
weak as we? Art thou become like unto us?
2 Nephi 24:11
11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave; the noise of thy viols
is not heard; the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover
thee.
2 Nephi 24:12
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the
morning! Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the
nations!
2 Nephi 24:13
13 For thou hast said in thy heart: I will ascend into heaven, I
will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon
the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north;
2 Nephi 24:14
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like
the Most High.
2 Nephi 24:15
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the
pit.
2 Nephi 24:16
16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and shall
consider thee, and shall say: Is this the man that made the earth
to tremble, that did shake kingdoms?
2 Nephi 24:17
17 And made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities
thereof, and opened not the house of his prisoners?
2 Nephi 24:18
18 All the kings of the nations, yea, all of them, lie in glory,
every one of them in his own house.
2 Nephi 24:19
19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch,
and the remnant of those that are slain, thrust through with a
sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass
trodden under feet.
2 Nephi 24:20
20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou
hast destroyed thy land and slain thy people; the seed of
evil-doers shall never be renowned.
2 Nephi 24:21
21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquities of
their fathers, that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor
fill the face of the world with cities.
2 Nephi 24:22
22 For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of Hosts, and
cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew,
saith the Lord.
2 Nephi 24:23
23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools
of water; and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction,
saith the Lord of Hosts.
2 Nephi 24:24
24 The Lord of Hosts hath sworn, saying: Surely as I have
thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so
shall it stand--
2 Nephi 24:25
25 That I will bring the Assyrian in my land, and upon my
mountains tread him under foot; then shall his yoke depart from
off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.
2 Nephi 24:26
26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth;
and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all nations.
2 Nephi 24:27
27 For the Lord of Hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul?
And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
2 Nephi 24:28
28 In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.
2 Nephi 24:29
29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him
that smote thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall
come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying
serpent.
2 Nephi 24:30
30 And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy
shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy root with famine,
and he shall slay thy remnant.
2 Nephi 24:31
31 Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art
dissolved; for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none
shall be alone in his appointed times.
2 Nephi 24:32
32 What shall then answer the messengers of the nations? That
the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall
trust in it.
2 Nephi 25
Chapter 25
2 Nephi 25:1
1 Now I, Nephi, do speak somewhat concerning the words which I
have written, which have been spoken by the mouth of Isaiah. For
behold, Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my
people to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of
prophesying among the Jews.
2 Nephi 25:2
2 For I, Nephi, have not taught them many things concerning the
manner of the Jews; for their works were works of darkness, and
their doings were doings of abominations.
2 Nephi 25:3
3 Wherefore, I write unto my people, unto all those that shall
receive hereafter these things which I write, that they may know
the judgments of God, that they come upon all nations, according
to the word which he hath spoken.
2 Nephi 25:4
4 Wherefore, hearken, O my people, which are of the house of
Israel, and give ear unto my words; for because the words of
Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto
all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy. But I
give unto you a prophecy, according to the spirit which is in me;
wherefore I shall prophesy according to the plainness which hath
been with me from the time that I came out from Jerusalem with my
father; for behold, my soul delighteth in plainness unto my
people, that they may learn.
2 Nephi 25:5
5 Yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for I came
out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld the things of the
Jews, and I know that the Jews do understand the things of the
prophets, and there is none other people that understand the
things which were spoken unto the Jews like unto them, save it be
that they are taught after the manner of the things of the Jews.
2 Nephi 25:6
6 But behold, I, Nephi, have not taught my children after the
manner of the Jews; but behold, I, of myself, have dwelt at
Jerusalem, wherefore I know concerning the regions round about;
and I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments
of God, which hath come to pass among the Jews, unto my children,
according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken, and I do not
write them.
2 Nephi 25:7
7 But behold, I proceed with mine own prophecy, according to my
plainness; in the which I know that no man can err; nevertheless,
in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men
shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to
pass.
2 Nephi 25:8
8 Wherefore, they are of worth unto the children of men, and he
that supposeth that they are not, unto them will I speak
particularly, and confine the words unto mine own people; for I
know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last
days; for in that day shall they understand them; wherefore, for
their good have I written them.
2 Nephi 25:9
9 And as one generation hath been destroyed among the Jews
because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyed from
generation to generation according to their iniquities; and never
hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the
prophets of the Lord.
2 Nephi 25:10
10 Wherefore, it hath been told them concerning the destruction
which should come upon them, immediately after my father left
Jerusalem; nevertheless, they hardened their hearts; and
according to my prophecy they have been destroyed, save it be
those which are carried away captive into Babylon.
2 Nephi 25:11
11 And now this I speak because of the spirit which is in me.
And notwithstanding they have been carried away they shall return
again, and possess the land of Jerusalem; wherefore, they shall
be restored again to the land of their inheritance.
2 Nephi 25:12
12 But, behold, they shall have wars, and rumors of wars; and
when the day cometh that the Only Begotten of the Father, yea,
even the Father of heaven and of earth, shall manifest himself
unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him, because of
their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the
stiffness of their necks.
2 Nephi 25:13
13 Behold, they will crucify him; and after he is laid in a
sepulchre for the space of three days he shall rise from the
dead, with healing in his wings; and all those who shall believe
on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Wherefore, my
soul delighteth to prophesy concerning him, for I have seen his
day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name.
2 Nephi 25:14
14 And behold it shall come to pass that after the Messiah hath
risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his people,
unto as many as will believe on his name, behold, Jerusalem shall
be destroyed again; for wo unto them that fight against God and
the people of his church.
2 Nephi 25:15
15 Wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered among all nations;
yea, and also Babylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Jews
shall be scattered by other nations.
2 Nephi 25:16
16 And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath
scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations,
yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be
persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the
atonement, which is infinite for all mankind--and when that day
shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the
Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look
not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time, the
day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should
believe these things.
2 Nephi 25:17
17 And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to
restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore,
he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the
children of men.
2 Nephi 25:18
18 Wherefore, he shall bring forth his words unto them, which
words shall judge them at the last day, for they shall be given
them for the purpose of convincing them of the true Messiah, who
was rejected by them; and unto the convincing of them that they
need not look forward any more for a Messiah to come, for there
should not any come, save it should be a false Messiah which
should deceive the people; for there is save one Messiah spoken
of by the prophets, and that Messiah is he who should be rejected
of the Jews.
2 Nephi 25:19
19 For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah
cometh in six hundred years from the time that my father left
Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also
the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the
Son of God.
2 Nephi 25:20
20 And now, my brethren, I have spoken plainly that ye cannot
err. And as the Lord God liveth that brought Israel up out of
the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power that he should heal
the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents,
if they would cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise
up before them, and also gave him power that he should smite the
rock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you,
that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there
is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus
Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved.
2 Nephi 25:21
21 Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me
that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved, and
handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation, that the
promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that his seed should never
perish as long as the earth should stand.
2 Nephi 25:22
22 Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to
generation as long as the earth shall stand; and they shall go
according to the will and pleasure of God; and the nations who
shall possess them shall be judged of them according to the words
which are written.
2 Nephi 25:23
23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children,
and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled
to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after
all we can do.
2 Nephi 25:24
24 And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of
Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the
law shall be fulfilled.
2 Nephi 25:25
25 For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath
become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of
our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.
2 Nephi 25:26
26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of
Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our
prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may
look for a remission of their sins.
2 Nephi 25:27
27 Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may
know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness
of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ,
and know for what end the law was given. And after the law is
fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts
against him when the law ought to be done away.
2 Nephi 25:28
28 And now behold, my people, ye are a stiffnecked people;
wherefore, I have spoken plainly unto you, that ye cannot
misunderstand. And the words which I have spoken shall stand as
a testimony against you; for they are sufficient to teach any man
the right way; for the right way is to believe in Christ and deny
him not; for by denying him ye also deny the prophets and the
law.
2 Nephi 25:29
29 And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to
believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One
of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him
with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and
if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out.
2 Nephi 25:30
30 And, inasmuch as it shall be expedient, ye must keep the
performances and ordinances of God until the law shall be
fulfilled which was given unto Moses.
2 Nephi 26
Chapter 26
2 Nephi 26:1
1 And after Christ shall have risen from the dead he shall show
himself unto you, my children, and my beloved brethren; and the
words which he shall speak unto you shall be the law which ye
shall do.
2 Nephi 26:2
2 For behold, I say unto you that I have beheld that many
generations shall pass away, and there shall be great wars and
contentions among my people.
2 Nephi 26:3
3 And after the Messiah shall come there shall be signs given
unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and
resurrection; and great and terrible shall that day be unto the
wicked, for they shall perish; and they perish because they cast
out the prophets, and the saints, and stone them, and slay them;
wherefore the cry of the blood of the saints shall ascend up to
God from the ground against them.
2 Nephi 26:4
4 Wherefore, all those who are proud, and that do wickedly, the
day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, for
they shall be as stubble.
2 Nephi 26:5
5 And they that kill the prophets, and the saints, the depths of
the earth shall swallow them up, saith the Lord of Hosts; and
mountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carry them away,
and buildings shall fall upon them and crush them to pieces and
grind them to powder.
2 Nephi 26:6
6 And they shall be visited with thunderings, and lightnings,
and earthquakes, and all manner of destructions, for the fire of
the anger of the Lord shall be kindled against them, and they
shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall consume them,
saith the Lord of Hosts.
2 Nephi 26:7
7 O the pain, and the anguish of my soul for the loss of the
slain of my people! For I, Nephi, have seen it, and it well nigh
consumeth me before the presence of the Lord; but I must cry unto
my God: Thy ways are just.
2 Nephi 26:8
8 But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the
prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ with
steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all
persecution--behold, they are they which shall not perish.
2 Nephi 26:9
9 But the Son of righteousness shall appear unto them; and he
shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him, until three
generations shall have passed away, and many of the fourth
generation shall have passed away in righteousness.
2 Nephi 26:10
10 And when these things have passed away a speedy destruction
cometh unto my people; for, notwithstanding the pains of my soul,
I have seen it; wherefore, I know that it shall come to pass; and
they sell themselves for naught; for, for the reward of their
pride and their foolishness they shall reap destruction; for
because they yield unto the devil and choose works of darkness
rather than light, therefore they must go down to hell.
2 Nephi 26:11
11 For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man.
And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy
destruction, and this grieveth my soul.
2 Nephi 26:12
12 And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that
Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be
convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God;
2 Nephi 26:13
13 And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in
him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and
wonders, among the children of men according to their faith.
2 Nephi 26:14
14 But behold, I prophesy unto you concerning the last days;
concerning the days when the Lord God shall bring these things
forth unto the children of men.
2 Nephi 26:15
15 After my seed and the seed of my brethren shall have dwindled
in unbelief, and shall have been smitten by the Gentiles; yea,
after the Lord God shall have camped against them round about,
and shall have laid siege against them with a mount, and raised
forts against them; and after they shall have been brought down
low in the dust, even that they are not, yet the words of the
righteous shall be written, and the prayers of the faithful shall
be heard, and all those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not
be forgotten.
2 Nephi 26:16
16 For those who shall be destroyed shall speak unto them out of
the ground, and their speech shall be low out of the dust, and
their voice shall be as one that hath a familiar spirit; for the
Lord God will give unto him power, that he may whisper concerning
them, even as it were out of the ground; and their speech shall
whisper out of the dust.
2 Nephi 26:17
17 For thus saith the Lord God: They shall write the things
which shall be done among them, and they shall be written and
sealed up in a book, and those who have dwindled in unbelief
shall not have them, for they seek to destroy the things of God.
2 Nephi 26:18
18 Wherefore, as those who have been destroyed have been
destroyed speedily; and the multitude of their terrible ones
shall be as chaff that passeth away--yea, thus saith the Lord
God: It shall be at an instant, suddenly--
2 Nephi 26:19
19 And it shall come to pass, that those who have dwindled in
unbelief shall be smitten by the hand of the Gentiles.
2 Nephi 26:20
20 And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes,
and have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling
block, that they have built up many churches; nevertheless, they
put down the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto
themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may
get gain and grind upon the face of the poor.
2 Nephi 26:21
21 And there are many churches built up which cause envyings,
and strifes, and malice.
2 Nephi 26:22
22 And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of
old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the
founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and
works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a
flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.
2 Nephi 26:23
23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord
God worketh not in darkness.
2 Nephi 26:24
24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the
world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own
life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth
none that they shall not partake of his salvation.
2 Nephi 26:25
25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me?
Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye
ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without
price.
2 Nephi 26:26
26 Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of
the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say
unto you, Nay.
2 Nephi 26:27
27 Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his
salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free
for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should
persuade all men to repentance.
2 Nephi 26:28
28 Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not
partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men
are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are
forbidden.
2 Nephi 26:29
29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for,
behold priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for
a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the
world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.
2 Nephi 26:30
30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the
Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have
charity, which charity is love, and except they should have
charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have
charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.
2 Nephi 26:31
31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they
labor for money they shall perish.
2 Nephi 26:32
32 And again, the Lord God hath commanded that men should not
murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal;
that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain;
that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that
they should not contend one with another; that they should not
commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things;
for whoso doeth them shall perish.
2 Nephi 26:33
33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth
that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth
nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he
inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness;
and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and
free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all
are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.
2 Nephi 27
Chapter 27
2 Nephi 27:1
1 But, behold, in the last days, or in the days of the
Gentiles--yea, behold all the nations of the Gentiles and also
the Jews, both those who shall come upon this land and those who
shall be upon other lands, yea, even upon all the lands of the
earth, behold, they will be drunken with iniquity and all manner
of abominations--
2 Nephi 27:2
2 And when that day shall come they shall be visited of the Lord
of Hosts, with thunder and with earthquake, and with a great
noise, and with storm, and with tempest, and with the flame of
devouring fire.
2 Nephi 27:3
3 And all the nations that fight against Zion, and that distress
her, shall be as a dream of a night vision; yea, it shall be unto
them, even as unto a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he
eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a
thirsty man which dreameth, and behold he drinketh but he awaketh
and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; yea, even so
shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against
Mount Zion.
2 Nephi 27:4
4 For behold, all ye that doeth iniquity, stay yourselves and
wonder, for ye shall cry out, and cry; yea, ye shall be drunken
but not with wine, ye shall stagger but not with strong drink.
2 Nephi 27:5
5 For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of
deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have
rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he
covered because of your iniquity.
2 Nephi 27:6
6 And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall bring forth
unto you the words of a book, and they shall be the words of them
which have slumbered.
2 Nephi 27:7
7 And behold the book shall be sealed; and in the book shall be
a revelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the
ending thereof.
2 Nephi 27:8
8 Wherefore, because of the things which are sealed up, the
things which are sealed shall not be delivered in the day of the
wickedness and abominations of the people. Wherefore the book
shall be kept from them.
2 Nephi 27:9
9 But the book shall be delivered unto a man, and he shall
deliver the words of the book, which are the words of those who
have slumbered in the dust, and he shall deliver these words unto
another;
2 Nephi 27:10
10 But the words which are sealed he shall not deliver, neither
shall he deliver the book. For the book shall be sealed by the
power of God, and the revelation which was sealed shall be kept
in the book until the own due time of the Lord, that they may
come forth; for behold, they reveal all things from the
foundation of the world unto the end thereof.
2 Nephi 27:11
11 And the day cometh that the words of the book which were
sealed shall be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read
by the power of Christ; and all things shall be revealed unto the
children of men which ever have been among the children of men,
and which ever will be even unto the end of the earth.
2 Nephi 27:12
12 Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto
the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the
eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it save it
be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God,
besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall
testify to the truth of the book and the things therein.
2 Nephi 27:13
13 And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a few
according to the will of God, to bear testimony of his word unto
the children of men; for the Lord God hath said that the words of
the faithful should speak as if it were from the dead.
2 Nephi 27:14
14 Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth the words
of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seemeth him
good will he establish his word; and wo be unto him that
rejecteth the word of God!
2 Nephi 27:15
15 But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say
unto him to whom he shall deliver the book: Take these words
which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he may
show them unto the learned, saying: Read this, I pray thee. And
the learned shall say: Bring hither the book, and I will read
them.
2 Nephi 27:16
16 And now, because of the glory of the world and to get gain
will they say this, and not for the glory of God.
2 Nephi 27:17
17 And the man shall say: I cannot bring the book, for it is
sealed.
2 Nephi 27:18
18 Then shall the learned say: I cannot read it.
2 Nephi 27:19
19 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that the Lord God will
deliver again the book and the words thereof to him that is not
learned; and the man that is not learned shall say: I am not
learned.
2 Nephi 27:20
20 Then shall the Lord God say unto him: The learned shall not
read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine
own work; wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give
unto thee.
2 Nephi 27:21
21 Touch not the things which are sealed, for I will bring them
forth in mine own due time; for I will show unto the children of
men that I am able to do mine own work.
2 Nephi 27:22
22 Wherefore, when thou hast read the words which I have
commanded thee, and obtained the witnesses which I have promised
unto thee, then shalt thou seal up the book again, and hide it up
unto me, that I may preserve the words which thou hast not read,
until I shall see fit in mine own wisdom to reveal all things
unto the children of men.
2 Nephi 27:23
23 For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will
show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and
forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be
according to their faith.
2 Nephi 27:24
24 And again it shall come to pass that the Lord shall say unto
him that shall read the words that shall be delivered him:
2 Nephi 27:25
25 Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth,
and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts
far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts
of men--
2 Nephi 27:26
26 Therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this
people, yea, a marvelous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of
their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of
their prudent shall be hid.
2 Nephi 27:27
27 And wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from
the Lord! And their works are in the dark; and they say: Who
seeth us, and who knoweth us? And they also say: Surely, your
turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's
clay. But behold, I will show unto them, saith the Lord of
Hosts, that I know all their works. For shall the work say of
him that made it, he made me not? Or shall the thing framed say
of him that framed it, he had no understanding?
2 Nephi 27:28
28 But behold, saith the Lord of Hosts: I will show unto the
children of men that it is yet a very little while and Lebanon
shall be turned into a fruitful field; and the fruitful field
shall be esteemed as a forest.
2 Nephi 27:29
29 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book,
and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of
darkness.
2 Nephi 27:30
30 And the meek also shall increase, and their joy shall be in
the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of
Israel.
2 Nephi 27:31
31 For assuredly as the Lord liveth they shall see that the
terrible one is brought to naught, and the scorner is consumed,
and all that watch for iniquity are cut off;
2 Nephi 27:32
32 And they that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a
snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just
for a thing of naught.
2 Nephi 27:33
33 Therefore, thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham,
concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob shall not now be ashamed,
neither shall his face now wax pale.
2 Nephi 27:34
34 But when he seeth his children, the work of my hands, in the
midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy
One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
2 Nephi 27:35
35 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,
and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
2 Nephi 28
Chapter 28
2 Nephi 28:1
1 And now, behold, my brethren, I have spoken unto you,
according as the Spirit hath constrained me; wherefore, I know
that they must surely come to pass.
2 Nephi 28:2
2 And the things which shall be written out of the book shall be
of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our
seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel.
2 Nephi 28:3
3 For it shall come to pass in that day that the churches which
are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto
the other: Behold, I, I am the Lord's; and the others shall say:
I, I am the Lord's; and thus shall every one say that hath built
up churches, and not unto the Lord--
2 Nephi 28:4
4 And they shall contend one with another; and their priests
shall contend one with another, and they shall teach with their
learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance.
2 Nephi 28:5
5 And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel; and
they say unto the people: Hearken unto us, and hear ye our
precept; for behold there is no God today, for the Lord and the
Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto
men;
2 Nephi 28:6
6 Behold, hearken ye unto my precept; if they shall say there is
a miracle wrought by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for
this day he is not a God of miracles; he hath done his work.
2 Nephi 28:7
7 Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and
be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.
2 Nephi 28:8
8 And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and
be merry; nevertheless, fear God--he will justify in committing a
little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because
of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in
this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so
be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and
at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.
2 Nephi 28:9
9 Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this
manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed
up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels
from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark.
2 Nephi 28:10
10 And the blood of the saints shall cry from the ground against
them.
2 Nephi 28:11
11 Yea, they have all gone out of the way; they have become
corrupted.
2 Nephi 28:12
12 Because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false
doctrine, their churches have become corrupted, and their
churches are lifted up; because of pride they are puffed up.
2 Nephi 28:13
13 They rob the poor because of their fine sanctuaries; they rob
the poor because of their fine clothing; and they persecute the
meek and the poor in heart, because in their pride they are
puffed up.
2 Nephi 28:14
14 They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of
pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have
all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of
Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they
do err because they are taught by the precepts of men.
2 Nephi 28:15
15 O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up
in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false
doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the
right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord
God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell!
2 Nephi 28:16
16 Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught
and revile against that which is good, and say that is of no
worth! For the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily
visit the inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are
fully ripe in iniquity they shall perish.
2 Nephi 28:17
17 But behold, if the inhabitants of the earth shall repent of
their wickedness and abominations they shall not be destroyed,
saith the Lord of Hosts.
2 Nephi 28:18
18 But behold, that great and abominable church, the whore of
all the earth, must tumble to the earth, and great must be the
fall thereof.
2 Nephi 28:19
19 For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which
belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the
devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be
stirred up to anger, and perish;
2 Nephi 28:20
20 For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the
children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is
good.
2 Nephi 28:21
21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal
security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion
prospereth, all is well--and thus the devil cheateth their souls,
and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.
2 Nephi 28:22
22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there
is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is
none--and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them
with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.
2 Nephi 28:23
23 Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and
hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith must
stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their
works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them,
even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment.
2 Nephi 28:24
24 Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!
2 Nephi 28:25
25 Wo be unto him that crieth: All is well!
2 Nephi 28:26
26 Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men,
and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost!
2 Nephi 28:27
27 Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need
no more!
2 Nephi 28:28
28 And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry
because of the truth of God! For behold, he that is built upon
the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a
sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall.
2 Nephi 28:29
29 Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of
God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!
2 Nephi 28:30
30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the
children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a
little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto
my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall
learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and
from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be
taken away even that which they have.
2 Nephi 28:31
31 Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh
his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their
precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.
2 Nephi 28:32
32 Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts! For
notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day
to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto
them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me;
for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord
God of Hosts.
2 Nephi 29
Chapter 29
2 Nephi 29:1
1 But behold, there shall be many--at that day when I shall
proceed to do a marvelous work among them, that I may remember my
covenants which I have made unto the children of men, that I may
set my hand again the second time to recover my people, which are
of the house of Israel;
2 Nephi 29:2
2 And also, that I may remember the promises which I have made
unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would remember
your seed; and that the words of your seed should proceed forth
out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall hiss forth
unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which
are of the house of Israel;
2 Nephi 29:3
3 And because my words shall hiss forth--many of the Gentiles
shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there
cannot be any more Bible.
2 Nephi 29:4
4 But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible;
and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant
people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they
receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they
remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews,
and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the
Gentiles?
2 Nephi 29:5
5 O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient
covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated
them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will
return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have
not forgotten my people.
2 Nephi 29:6
6 Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and
we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by
the Jews?
2 Nephi 29:7
7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not
that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I
remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule
in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth
my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations
of the earth?
2 Nephi 29:8
8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my
word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness
unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto
another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like
unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the
testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
2 Nephi 29:9
9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same
yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words
according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken
one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my
work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of
man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.
2 Nephi 29:10
10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose
that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I
have not caused more to be written.
2 Nephi 29:11
11 For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and
in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea,
that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out
of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every
man according to their works, according to that which is written.
2 Nephi 29:12
12 For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write
it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write
it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of
Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I
shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall
write it.
2 Nephi 29:13
13 And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words
of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the
Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the
lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have
the words of the Nephites and the Jews.
2 Nephi 29:14
14 And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the
house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their
possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one. And I
will show unto them that fight against my word and against my
people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I
covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever.
2 Nephi 30
Chapter 30
2 Nephi 30:1
1 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you;
for I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should suppose that ye are
more righteous than the Gentiles shall be. For behold, except ye
shall keep the commandments of God ye shall all likewise perish;
and because of the words which have been spoken ye need not
suppose that the Gentiles are utterly destroyed.
2 Nephi 30:2
2 For behold, I say unto you that as many of the Gentiles as
will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of
the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off; for the Lord
covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and
believe in his Son, who is the Holy One of Israel.
2 Nephi 30:3
3 And now, I would prophesy somewhat more concerning the Jews
and the Gentiles. For after the book of which I have spoken
shall come forth, and be written unto the Gentiles, and sealed up
again unto the Lord, there shall be many which shall believe the
words which are written; and they shall carry them forth unto the
remnant of our seed.
2 Nephi 30:4
4 And then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us, how
that we came out from Jerusalem, and that they are descendants of
the Jews.
2 Nephi 30:5
5 And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them;
wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their
fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had
among their fathers.
2 Nephi 30:6
6 And then shall they rejoice; for they shall know that it is a
blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of
darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many
generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a
pure and delightsome people.
2 Nephi 30:7
7 And it shall come to pass that the Jews which are scattered
also shall begin to believe in Christ; and they shall begin to
gather in upon the face of the land; and as many as shall believe
in Christ shall also become a delightsome people.
2 Nephi 30:8
8 And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall commence his
work among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, to bring
about the restoration of his people upon the earth.
2 Nephi 30:9
9 And with righteousness shall the Lord God judge the poor, and
reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. And he shall
smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of
his lips shall he slay the wicked.
2 Nephi 30:10
10 For the time speedily cometh that the Lord God shall cause a
great division among the people, and the wicked will he destroy;
and he will spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must
destroy the wicked by fire.
2 Nephi 30:11
11 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and
faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
2 Nephi 30:12
12 And then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb; and the leopard
shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the young lion,
and the fatling, together; and a little child shall lead them.
2 Nephi 30:13
13 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall
lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
2 Nephi 30:14
14 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and
the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den.
2 Nephi 30:15
15 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for
the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the
waters cover the sea.
2 Nephi 30:16
16 Wherefore, the things of all nations shall be made known;
yea, all things shall be made known unto the children of men.
2 Nephi 30:17
17 There is nothing which is secret save it shall be revealed;
there is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest in
the light; and there is nothing which is sealed upon the earth
save it shall be loosed.
2 Nephi 30:18
18 Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the
children of men shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall
have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a
long time. And now, my beloved brethren, I make an end of my
sayings.
2 Nephi 31
Chapter 31
2 Nephi 31:1
1 And now I, Nephi, make an end of my prophesying unto you, my
beloved brethren. And I cannot write but a few things, which I
know must surely come to pass; neither can I write but a few of
the words of my brother Jacob.
2 Nephi 31:2
2 Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save
it be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of
Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to
the plainness of my prophesying.
2 Nephi 31:3
3 For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner
doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord
God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men
according to their language, unto their understanding.
2 Nephi 31:4
4 Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken
unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me,
that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the
sins of the world.
2 Nephi 31:5
5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need
to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how
much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even
by water!
2 Nephi 31:6
6 And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the
Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by
water?
2 Nephi 31:7
7 Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being
holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the
flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto
the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his
commandments.
2 Nephi 31:8
8 Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost
descended upon him in the form of a dove.
2 Nephi 31:9
9 And again, it showeth unto the children of men the
straightness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by
which they should enter, he having set the example before them.
2 Nephi 31:10
10 And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall
be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?
2 Nephi 31:11
11 And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in
the name of my Beloved Son.
2 Nephi 31:12
12 And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that
is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy
Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things
which ye have seen me do.
2 Nephi 31:13
13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall
follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy
and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of
your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take
upon you the name of Christ, by baptism--yea, by following your
Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word,
behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh
the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak
with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of
Israel.
2 Nephi 31:14
14 But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the
Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and
witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my
commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the
baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new
tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this
should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not
known me.
2 Nephi 31:15
15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words
of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the
end, the same shall be saved.
2 Nephi 31:16
16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a
man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son
of the living God, he cannot be saved.
2 Nephi 31:17
17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen
that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause
have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by
which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is
repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of
your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
2 Nephi 31:18
18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to
eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done
according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye
have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and
the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made,
that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.
2 Nephi 31:19
19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this
strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I
say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by
the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly
upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.
2 Nephi 31:20
20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in
Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God
and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting
upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus
saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
2 Nephi 31:21
21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and
there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man
can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the
doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without
end. Amen.
2 Nephi 32
Chapter 32
2 Nephi 32:1
1 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I suppose that ye ponder
somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after
ye have entered in by the way. But, behold, why do ye ponder
these things in your hearts?
2 Nephi 32:2
2 Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had
received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels?
And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it
were by the Holy Ghost?
2 Nephi 32:3
3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they
speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast
upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will
tell you all things what ye should do.
2 Nephi 32:4
4 Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot
understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye
knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must
perish in the dark.
2 Nephi 32:5
5 For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by
the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all
things what ye should do.
2 Nephi 32:6
6 Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no
more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto
you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in
the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye
observe to do.
2 Nephi 32:7
7 And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine
utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and
the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of
men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great
knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain
as word can be.
2 Nephi 32:8
8 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still
in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning
this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which
teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the
evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he
must not pray.
2 Nephi 32:9
9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not
faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in
the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of
Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that
thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.
2 Nephi 33
Chapter 33
2 Nephi 33:1
1 And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were
taught among my people; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto
speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost
the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the
children of men.
2 Nephi 33:2
2 But behold, there are many that harden their hearts against
the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; wherefore, they
cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things
of naught.
2 Nephi 33:3
3 But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem
it as of great worth, and especially unto my people. For I pray
continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by
night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I
know that he will hear my cry.
2 Nephi 33:4
4 And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for
the gain of my people. And the words which I have written in
weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to
do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it
speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to
endure to the end, which is life eternal.
2 Nephi 33:5
5 And it speaketh harshly against sin, according to the
plainness of the truth; wherefore, no man will be angry at the
words which I have written save he shall be of the spirit of the
devil.
2 Nephi 33:6
6 I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus,
for he hath redeemed my soul from hell.
2 Nephi 33:7
7 I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I
shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment-seat.
2 Nephi 33:8
8 I have charity for the Jew--I say Jew, because I mean them
from whence I came.
2 Nephi 33:9
9 I also have charity for the Gentiles. But behold, for none of
these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and
enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which
leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day
of probation.
2 Nephi 33:10
10 And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends
of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and
if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye
shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they
are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they
teach all men that they should do good.
2 Nephi 33:11
11 And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye--for Christ
will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his
words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face
before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of
him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness.
2 Nephi 33:12
12 And I pray the Father in the name of Christ that many of us,
if not all, may be saved in his kingdom at that great and last
day.
2 Nephi 33:13
13 And now, my beloved brethren, all those who are of the house
of Israel, and all ye ends of the earth, I speak unto you as the
voice of one crying from the dust: Farewell until that great day
shall come.
2 Nephi 33:14
14 And you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and
respect the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words
which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God,
behold, I bid you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall
condemn you at the last day.
2 Nephi 33:15
15 For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the
judgment bar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must
obey. Amen.
Jacob
THE BOOK OF JACOB
THE BROTHER OF NEPHI
The words of his preaching unto his brethren. He confoundeth a
man who seeketh to overthrow the doctrine of Christ. A few words
concerning the history of the people of Nephi.
Jacob 1
Chapter 1
Jacob 1:1
1 For behold, it came to pass that fifty and five years had
passed away from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem; wherefore,
Nephi gave me, Jacob, a commandment concerning the small plates,
upon which these things are engraven.
Jacob 1:2
2 And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon
these plates a few of the things which I consider to be most
precious; that I should not touch, save it were lightly,
concerning the history of this people which are called the people
of Nephi.
Jacob 1:3
3 For he said that the history of his people should be engraven
upon his other plates, and that I should preserve these plates
and hand them down unto my seed, from generation to generation.
Jacob 1:4
4 And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation
which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads
of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were
possible, for Christ's sake, and for the sake of our people.
Jacob 1:5
5 For because of faith and great anxiety, it truly had been made
manifest unto us concerning our people, what things should happen
unto them.
Jacob 1:6
6 And we also had many revelations, and the spirit of much
prophecy; wherefore, we knew of Christ and his kingdom, which
should come.
Jacob 1:7
7 Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we
might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the
goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest, lest by any
means he should swear in his wrath they should not enter in, as
in the provocation in the days of temptation while the children
of Israel were in the wilderness.
Jacob 1:8
8 Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men not
to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men
would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross
and bear the shame of the world; wherefore, I, Jacob, take it
upon me to fulfil the commandment of my brother Nephi.
Jacob 1:9
9 Now Nephi began to be old, and he saw that he must soon die;
wherefore, he anointed a man to be a king and a ruler over his
people now, according to the reigns of the kings.
Jacob 1:10
10 The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a
great protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in
their defence, and having labored in all his days for their
welfare--
Jacob 1:11
11 Wherefore, the people were desirous to retain in remembrance
his name. And whoso should reign in his stead were called by the
people, second Nephi, third Nephi, and so forth, according to the
reigns of the kings; and thus they were called by the people, let
them be of whatever name they would.
Jacob 1:12
12 And it came to pass that Nephi died.
Jacob 1:13
13 Now the people which were not Lamanites were Nephites;
nevertheless, they were called Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites,
Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites.
Jacob 1:14
14 But I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish them by these
names, but I shall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the
people of Nephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi I shall call
Nephites, or the people of Nephi, according to the reigns of the
kings.
Jacob 1:15
15 And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the
reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and
indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like
unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also
Solomon, his son.
Jacob 1:16
16 Yea, and they also began to search much gold and silver, and
began to be lifted up somewhat in pride.
Jacob 1:17
17 Wherefore I, Jacob, gave unto them these words as I taught
them in the temple, having first obtained mine errand from the
Lord.
Jacob 1:18
18 For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been consecrated
priests and teachers of this people, by the hand of Nephi.
Jacob 1:19
19 And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us
the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own
heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all
diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood
might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would
come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the
last day.
Jacob 2
Chapter 2
Jacob 2:1
1 The words which Jacob, the brother of Nephi, spake unto the
people of Nephi, after the death of Nephi:
Jacob 2:2
2 Now, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, according to the
responsibility which I am under to God, to magnify mine office
with soberness, and that I might rid my garments of your sins, I
come up into the temple this day that I might declare unto you
the word of God.
Jacob 2:3
3 And ye yourselves know that I have hitherto been diligent in
the office of my calling; but I this day am weighed down with
much more desire and anxiety for the welfare of your souls than I
have hitherto been.
Jacob 2:4
4 For behold, as yet, ye have been obedient unto the word of the
Lord, which I have given unto you.
Jacob 2:5
5 But behold, hearken ye unto me, and know that by the help of
the all-powerful Creator of heaven and earth I can tell you
concerning your thoughts, how that ye are beginning to labor in
sin, which sin appeareth very abominable unto me, yea, and
abominable unto God.
Jacob 2:6
6 Yea, it grieveth my soul and causeth me to shrink with shame
before the presence of my Maker, that I must testify unto you
concerning the wickedness of your hearts.
Jacob 2:7
7 And also it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of
speech concerning you, before your wives and your children, many
of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate
before God, which thing is pleasing unto God;
Jacob 2:8
8 And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the
pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded
soul.
Jacob 2:9
9 Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained,
because of the strict commandment which I have received from God,
to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds
of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and
healing their wounds; and those who have not been wounded,
instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God have daggers
placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds.
Jacob 2:10
10 But, notwithstanding the greatness of the task, I must do
according to the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning
your wickedness and abominations, in the presence of the pure in
heart, and the broken heart, and under the glance of the piercing
eye of the Almighty God.
Jacob 2:11
11 Wherefore, I must tell you the truth according to the
plainness of the word of God. For behold, as I inquired of the
Lord, thus came the word unto me, saying: Jacob, get thou up
into the temple on the morrow, and declare the word which I shall
give thee unto this people.
Jacob 2:12
12 And now behold, my brethren, this is the word which I declare
unto you, that many of you have begun to search for gold, and for
silver, and for all manner of precious ores, in the which this
land, which is a land of promise unto you and to your seed, doth
abound most plentifully.
Jacob 2:13
13 And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most
pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some
of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren
ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff
necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel,
and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better
than they.
Jacob 2:14
14 And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you
in this thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth
you, and if ye persist in these things his judgments must
speedily come unto you.
Jacob 2:15
15 O that he would show you that he can pierce you, and with one
glance of his eye he can smite you to the dust!
Jacob 2:16
16 O that he would rid you from this iniquity and abomination.
And, O that ye would listen unto the word of his commands, and
let not this pride of your hearts destroy your souls!
Jacob 2:17
17 Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar
with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like
unto you.
Jacob 2:18
18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of
God.
Jacob 2:19
19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain
riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to
do good--to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to
liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the
afflicted.
Jacob 2:20
20 And now, my brethren, I have spoken unto you concerning
pride; and those of you which have afflicted your neighbor, and
persecuted him because ye were proud in your hearts, of the
things which God hath given you, what say ye of it?
Jacob 2:21
21 Do ye not suppose that such things are abominable unto him
who created all flesh? And the one being is as precious in his
sight as the other. And all flesh is of the dust; and for the
selfsame end hath he created them, that they should keep his
commandments and glorify him forever.
Jacob 2:22
22 And now I make an end of speaking unto you concerning this
pride. And were it not that I must speak unto you concerning a
grosser crime, my heart would rejoice exceedingly because of you.
Jacob 2:23
23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser
crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to
wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they
seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the
things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.
Jacob 2:24
24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and
concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.
Jacob 2:25
25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth
out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I
might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the
loins of Joseph.
Jacob 2:26
26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people
shall do like unto them of old.
Jacob 2:27
27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of
the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be
one wife; and concubines he shall have none;
Jacob 2:28
28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And
whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of
Hosts.
Jacob 2:29
29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the
Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.
Jacob 2:30
30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto
me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto
these things.
Jacob 2:31
31 For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the
mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem,
yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness
and abominations of their husbands.
Jacob 2:32
32 And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the
cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out
of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me against the men
of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts.
Jacob 2:33
33 For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my
people because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with
a sore curse, even unto destruction; for they shall not commit
whoredoms, like unto them of old, saith the Lord of Hosts.
Jacob 2:34
34 And now behold, my brethren, ye know that these commandments
were given to our father, Lehi; wherefore, ye have known them
before; and ye have come unto great condemnation; for ye have
done these things which ye ought not to have done.
Jacob 2:35
35 Behold, ye have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites,
our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives,
and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad
examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up
to God against you. And because of the strictness of the word of
God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced
with deep wounds.
Jacob 3
Chapter 3
Jacob 3:1
1 But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in
heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him
with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your
afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice
upon those who seek your destruction.
Jacob 3:2
2 O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and
receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye
may, if your minds are firm, forever.
Jacob 3:3
3 But, wo, wo, unto you that are not pure in heart, that are
filthy this day before God; for except ye repent the land is
cursed for your sakes; and the Lamanites, which are not filthy
like unto you, nevertheless they are cursed with a sore cursing,
shall scourge you even unto destruction.
Jacob 3:4
4 And the time speedily cometh, that except ye repent they shall
possess the land of your inheritance, and the Lord God will lead
away the righteous out from among you.
Jacob 3:5
5 Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of
their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their
skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten
the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our
father--that they should have save it were one wife, and
concubines they should have none, and there should not be
whoredoms committed among them.
Jacob 3:6
6 And now, this commandment they observe to keep; wherefore,
because of this observance, in keeping this commandment, the Lord
God will not destroy them, but will be merciful unto them; and
one day they shall become a blessed people.
Jacob 3:7
7 Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love
their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their
children; and their unbelief and their hatred towards you is
because of the iniquity of their fathers; wherefore, how much
better are you than they, in the sight of your great Creator?
Jacob 3:8
8 O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins
that their skins will be whiter than yours, when ye shall be
brought with them before the throne of God.
Jacob 3:9
9 Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of
God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness
of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of
their filthiness; but ye shall remember your own filthiness, and
remember that their filthiness came because of their fathers.
Jacob 3:10
10 Wherefore, ye shall remember your children, how that ye have
grieved their hearts because of the example that ye have set
before them; and also, remember that ye may, because of your
filthiness, bring your children unto destruction, and their sins
be heaped upon your heads at the last day.
Jacob 3:11
11 O my brethren, hearken unto my words; arouse the faculties of
your souls; shake yourselves that ye may awake from the slumber
of death; and loose yourselves from the pains of hell that ye may
not become angels to the devil, to be cast into that lake of fire
and brimstone which is the second death.
Jacob 3:12
12 And now I, Jacob, spake many more things unto the people of
Nephi, warning them against fornication and lasciviousness, and
every kind of sin, telling them the awful consequences of them.
Jacob 3:13
13 And a hundredth part of the proceedings of this people, which
now began to be numerous, cannot be written upon these plates;
but many of their proceedings are written upon the larger plates,
and their wars, and their contentions, and the reigns of their
kings.
Jacob 3:14
14 These plates are called the plates of Jacob, and they were
made by the hand of Nephi. And I make an end of speaking these
words.
Jacob 4
Chapter 4
Jacob 4:1
1 Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered
much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of
my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon
plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates
must remain;
Jacob 4:2
2 But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon
plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words
upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved
brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or
concerning their fathers--
Jacob 4:3
3 Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to
engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved
brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts,
and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with
sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.
Jacob 4:4
4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they
may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory
many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves
had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which
were before us.
Jacob 4:5
5 Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in
his name, and also we worship the Father in his name. And for
this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to
him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for
righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the
wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up
his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten
Son.
Jacob 4:6
6 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many
revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these
witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken,
insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the
very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.
Jacob 4:7
7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may
know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto
the children of men, that we have power to do these things.
Jacob 4:8
8 Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How
unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is
impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man
knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore,
brethren, despise not the revelations of God.
Jacob 4:9
9 For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of
the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word.
Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to
speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the
earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it,
according to his will and pleasure?
Jacob 4:10
10 Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to
take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that
he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over
all his works.
Jacob 4:11
11 Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through
the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain
a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which
is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto
God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him
before he manifesteth himself in the flesh.
Jacob 4:12
12 And now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things;
for why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a
perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a
resurrection and the world to come?
Jacob 4:13
13 Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to
the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and
lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are,
and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are
manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But
behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also
spake them unto prophets of old.
Jacob 4:14
14 But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they
despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and
sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore,
because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking
beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away
his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things
which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And
because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.
Jacob 4:15
15 And now I, Jacob, am led on by the Spirit unto prophesying;
for I perceive by the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that
by the stumbling of the Jews they will reject the stone upon
which they might build and have safe foundation.
Jacob 4:16
16 But behold, according to the scriptures, this stone shall
become the great, and the last, and the only sure foundation,
upon which the Jews can build.
Jacob 4:17
17 And now, my beloved, how is it possible that these, after
having rejected the sure foundation, can ever build upon it, that
it may become the head of their corner?
Jacob 4:18
18 Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto
you; if I do not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in
the Spirit, and stumble because of my over anxiety for you.
Jacob 5
Chapter 5
Jacob 5:1
1 Behold, my brethren, do ye not remember to have read the words
of the prophet Zenos, which he spake unto the house of Israel,
saying:
Jacob 5:2
2 Hearken, O ye house of Israel, and hear the words of me, a
prophet of the Lord.
Jacob 5:3
3 For behold, thus saith the Lord, I will liken thee, O house of
Israel, like unto a tame olive-tree, which a man took and
nourished in his vineyard; and it grew, and waxed old, and began
to decay.
Jacob 5:4
4 And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard went
forth, and he saw that his olive-tree began to decay; and he
said: I will prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it, that
perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches, and it
perish not.
Jacob 5:5
5 And it came to pass that he pruned it, and digged about it,
and nourished it according to his word.
Jacob 5:6
6 And it came to pass that after many days it began to put forth
somewhat a little, young and tender branches; but behold, the
main top thereof began to perish.
Jacob 5:7
7 And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard saw it,
and he said unto his servant: It grieveth me that I should lose
this tree; wherefore, go and pluck the branches from a wild
olive-tree, and bring them hither unto me; and we will pluck off
those main branches which are beginning to wither away, and we
will cast them into the fire that they may be burned.
Jacob 5:8
8 And behold, saith the Lord of the vineyard, I take away many
of these young and tender branches, and I will graft them
whithersoever I will; and it mattereth not that if it so be that
the root of this tree will perish, I may preserve the fruit
thereof unto myself; wherefore, I will take these young and
tender branches, and I will graft them whithersoever I will.
Jacob 5:9
9 Take thou the branches of the wild olive-tree, and graft them
in, in the stead thereof; and these which I have plucked off I
will cast into the fire and burn them, that they may not cumber
the ground of my vineyard.
Jacob 5:10
10 And it came to pass that the servant of the Lord of the
vineyard did according to the word of the Lord of the vineyard,
and grafted in the branches of the wild olive-tree.
Jacob 5:11
11 And the Lord of the vineyard caused that it should be digged
about, and pruned, and nourished, saying unto his servant: It
grieveth me that I should lose this tree; wherefore, that perhaps
I might preserve the roots thereof that they perish not, that I
might preserve them unto myself, I have done this thing.
Jacob 5:12
12 Wherefore, go thy way; watch the tree, and nourish it,
according to my words.
Jacob 5:13
13 And these will I place in the nethermost part of my vineyard,
whithersoever I will, it mattereth not unto thee; and I do it
that I may preserve unto myself the natural branches of the tree;
and also, that I may lay up fruit thereof against the season,
unto myself; for it grieveth me that I should lose this tree and
the fruit thereof.
Jacob 5:14
14 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard went his
way, and hid the natural branches of the tame olive-tree in the
nethermost parts of the vineyard, some in one and some in
another, according to his will and pleasure.
Jacob 5:15
15 And it came to pass that a long time passed away, and the
Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Come, let us go down
into the vineyard, that we may labor in the vineyard.
Jacob 5:16
16 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard, and also
the servant, went down into the vineyard to labor. And it came
to pass that the servant said unto his master: Behold, look here;
behold the tree.
Jacob 5:17
17 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard looked and
beheld the tree in the which the wild olive branches had been
grafted; and it had sprung forth and begun to bear fruit. And he
beheld that it was good; and the fruit thereof was like unto the
natural fruit.
Jacob 5:18
18 And he said unto the servant: Behold, the branches of the
wild tree have taken hold of the moisture of the root thereof,
that the root thereof hath brought forth much strength; and
because of the much strength of the root thereof the wild
branches have brought forth tame fruit. Now, if we had not
grafted in these branches, the tree thereof would have perished.
And now, behold, I shall lay up much fruit, which the tree
thereof hath brought forth; and the fruit thereof I shall lay up
against the season, unto mine own self.
Jacob 5:19
19 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
the servant: Come, let us go to the nethermost part of the
vineyard, and behold if the natural branches of the tree have not
brought forth much fruit also, that I may lay up of the fruit
thereof against the season, unto mine own self.
Jacob 5:20
20 And it came to pass that they went forth whither the master
had hid the natural branches of the tree, and he said unto the
servant: Behold these; and he beheld the first that it had
brought forth much fruit; and he beheld also that it was good.
And he said unto the servant: Take of the fruit thereof, and lay
it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own
self; for behold, said he, this long time have I nourished it,
and it hath brought forth much fruit.
Jacob 5:21
21 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master:
How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the
tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy
vineyard.
Jacob 5:22
22 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I
knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto
thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that
it hath brought forth much fruit.
Jacob 5:23
23 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
his servant: Look hither; behold I have planted another branch of
the tree also; and thou knowest that this spot of ground was
poorer than the first. But, behold the tree. I have nourished
it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit;
therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the season, that I
may preserve it unto mine own self.
Jacob 5:24
24 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said again
unto his servant: Look hither, and behold another branch also,
which I have planted; behold that I have nourished it also, and
it hath brought forth fruit.
Jacob 5:25
25 And he said unto the servant: Look hither and behold the
last. Behold, this have I planted in a good spot of ground; and
I have nourished it this long time, and only a part of the tree
hath brought forth tame fruit, and the other part of the tree
hath brought forth wild fruit; behold, I have nourished this tree
like unto the others.
Jacob 5:26
26 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
the servant: Pluck off the branches that have not brought forth
good fruit, and cast them into the fire.
Jacob 5:27
27 But behold, the servant said unto him: Let us prune it, and
dig about it, and nourish it a little longer, that perhaps it may
bring forth good fruit unto thee, that thou canst lay it up
against the season.
Jacob 5:28
28 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the
servant of the Lord of the vineyard did nourish all the fruit of
the vineyard.
Jacob 5:29
29 And it came to pass that a long time had passed away, and the
Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Come, let us go down
into the vineyard, that we may labor again in the vineyard. For
behold, the time draweth near, and the end soon cometh;
wherefore, I must lay up fruit against the season, unto mine own
self.
Jacob 5:30
30 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the
servant went down into the vineyard; and they came to the tree
whose natural branches had been broken off, and the wild branches
had been grafted in; and behold all sorts of fruit did cumber the
tree.
Jacob 5:31
31 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard did taste
of the fruit, every sort according to its number. And the Lord
of the vineyard said: Behold, this long time have we nourished
this tree, and I have laid up unto myself against the season much
fruit.
Jacob 5:32
32 But behold, this time it hath brought forth much fruit, and
there is none of it which is good. And behold, there are all
kinds of bad fruit; and it profiteth me nothing, notwithstanding
all our labor; and now it grieveth me that I should lose this
tree.
Jacob 5:33
33 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: What
shall we do unto the tree, that I may preserve again good fruit
thereof unto mine own self?
Jacob 5:34
34 And the servant said unto his master: Behold, because thou
didst graft in the branches of the wild olive-tree they have
nourished the roots, that they are alive and they have not
perished; wherefore thou beholdest that they are yet good.
Jacob 5:35
35 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
his servant: The tree profiteth me nothing, and the roots thereof
profit me nothing so long as it shall bring forth evil fruit.
Jacob 5:36
36 Nevertheless, I know that the roots are good, and for mine
own purpose I have preserved them; and because of their much
strength they have hitherto brought forth, from the wild
branches, good fruit.
Jacob 5:37
37 But behold, the wild branches have grown and have overrun the
roots thereof; and because that the wild branches have overcome
the roots thereof it hath brought forth much evil fruit; and
because that it hath brought forth so much evil fruit thou
beholdest that it beginneth to perish; and it will soon become
ripened, that it may be cast into the fire, except we should do
something for it to preserve it.
Jacob 5:38
38 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
his servant: Let us go down into the nethermost parts of the
vineyard, and behold if the natural branches have also brought
forth evil fruit.
Jacob 5:39
39 And it came to pass that they went down into the nethermost
parts of the vineyard. And it came to pass that they beheld that
the fruit of the natural branches had become corrupt also; yea,
the first and the second and also the last; and they had all
become corrupt.
Jacob 5:40
40 And the wild fruit of the last had overcome that part of the
tree which brought forth good fruit, even that the branch had
withered away and died.
Jacob 5:41
41 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and
said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my
vineyard?
Jacob 5:42
42 Behold, I knew that all the fruit of the vineyard, save it
were these, had become corrupted. And now these which have once
brought forth good fruit have also become corrupted; and now all
the trees of my vineyard are good for nothing save it be to be
hewn down and cast into the fire.
Jacob 5:43
43 And behold this last, whose branch hath withered away, I did
plant in a good spot of ground; yea, even that which was choice
unto me above all other parts of the land of my vineyard.
Jacob 5:44
44 And thou beheldest that I also cut down that which cumbered
this spot of ground, that I might plant this tree in the stead
thereof.
Jacob 5:45
45 And thou beheldest that a part thereof brought forth good
fruit, and a part thereof brought forth wild fruit; and because I
plucked not the branches thereof and cast them into the fire,
behold, they have overcome the good branch that it hath withered
away.
Jacob 5:46
46 And now, behold, notwithstanding all the care which we have
taken of my vineyard, the trees thereof have become corrupted,
that they bring forth no good fruit; and these I had hoped to
preserve, to have laid up fruit thereof against the season, unto
mine own self. But, behold, they have become like unto the wild
olive-tree, and they are of no worth but to be hewn down and cast
into the fire; and it grieveth me that I should lose them.
Jacob 5:47
47 But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I
slackened mine hand, that I have not nourished it, Nay, I have
nourished it, and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it,
and I have dunged it; and I have stretched forth mine hand almost
all the day long, and the end draweth nigh. And it grieveth me
that I should hew down all the trees of my vineyard, and cast
them into the fire that they should be burned. Who is it that
has corrupted my vineyard?
Jacob 5:48
48 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: Is
it not the loftiness of thy vineyard--have not the branches
thereof overcome the roots which are good? And because the
branches have overcome the roots thereof, behold they grew faster
than the strength of the roots, taking strength unto themselves.
Behold, I say, is not this the cause that the trees of thy
vineyard have become corrupted?
Jacob 5:49
49 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
the servant: Let us go to and hew down the trees of the vineyard
and cast them into the fire, that they shall not cumber the
ground of my vineyard, for I have done all. What could I have
done more for my vineyard?
Jacob 5:50
50 But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard:
Spare it a little longer.
Jacob 5:51
51 And the Lord said: Yea, I will spare it a little longer, for
it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard.
Jacob 5:52
52 Wherefore, let us take of the branches of these which I have
planted in the nethermost parts of my vineyard, and let us graft
them into the tree from whence they came; and let us pluck from
the tree those branches whose fruit is most bitter, and graft in
the natural branches of the tree in the stead thereof.
Jacob 5:53
53 And this will I do that the tree may not perish, that,
perhaps, I may preserve unto myself the roots thereof for mine
own purpose.
Jacob 5:54
54 And, behold, the roots of the natural branches of the tree
which I planted whithersoever I would are yet alive; wherefore,
that I may preserve them also for mine own purpose, I will take
of the branches of this tree, and I will graft them in unto them.
Yea, I will graft in unto them the branches of their mother tree,
that I may preserve the roots also unto mine own self, that when
they shall be sufficiently strong perhaps they may bring forth
good fruit unto me, and I may yet have glory in the fruit of my
vineyard.
Jacob 5:55
55 And it came to pass that they took from the natural tree
which had become wild, and grafted in unto the natural trees,
which also had become wild.
Jacob 5:56
56 And they also took of the natural trees which had become
wild, and grafted into their mother tree.
Jacob 5:57
57 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Pluck not
the wild branches from the trees, save it be those which are most
bitter; and in them ye shall graft according to that which I have
said.
Jacob 5:58
58 And we will nourish again the trees of the vineyard, and we
will trim up the branches thereof; and we will pluck from the
trees those branches which are ripened, that must perish, and
cast them into the fire.
Jacob 5:59
59 And this I do that, perhaps, the roots thereof may take
strength because of their goodness; and because of the change of
the branches, that the good may overcome the evil.
Jacob 5:60
60 And because that I have preserved the natural branches and
the roots thereof, and that I have grafted in the natural
branches again into their mother tree, and have preserved the
roots of their mother tree, that, perhaps, the trees of my
vineyard may bring forth again good fruit; and that I may have
joy again in the fruit of my vineyard, and, perhaps, that I may
rejoice exceedingly that I have preserved the roots and the
branches of the first fruit--
Jacob 5:61
61 Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor
diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare
the way, that I may bring forth again the natural fruit, which
natural fruit is good and the most precious above all other
fruit.
Jacob 5:62
62 Wherefore, let us go to and labor with our might this last
time, for behold the end draweth nigh, and this is for the last
time that I shall prune my vineyard.
Jacob 5:63
63 Graft in the branches; begin at the last that they may be
first, and that the first may be last, and dig about the trees,
both old and young, the first and the last; and the last and the
first, that all may be nourished once again for the last time.
Jacob 5:64
64 Wherefore, dig about them, and prune them, and dung them once
more, for the last time, for the end draweth nigh. And if it be
so that these last grafts shall grow, and bring forth the natural
fruit, then shall ye prepare the way for them, that they may
grow.
Jacob 5:65
65 And as they begin to grow ye shall clear away the branches
which bring forth bitter fruit, according to the strength of the
good and the size thereof; and ye shall not clear away the bad
thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong
for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish, and I lose the
trees of my vineyard.
Jacob 5:66
66 For it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my
vineyard; wherefore ye shall clear away the bad according as the
good shall grow, that the root and the top may be equal in
strength, until the good shall overcome the bad, and the bad be
hewn down and cast into the fire, that they cumber not the ground
of my vineyard; and thus will I sweep away the bad out of my
vineyard.
Jacob 5:67
67 And the branches of the natural tree will I graft in again
into the natural tree;
Jacob 5:68
68 And the branches of the natural tree will I graft into the
natural branches of the tree; and thus will I bring them together
again, that they shall bring forth the natural fruit, and they
shall be one.
Jacob 5:69
69 And the bad shall be cast away, yea, even out of all the land
of my vineyard; for behold, only this once will I prune my
vineyard.
Jacob 5:70
70 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his
servant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded
him, and brought other servants; and they were few.
Jacob 5:71
71 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor
in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last
time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at
hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your
might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up
unto myself against the time which will soon come.
Jacob 5:72
72 And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with
their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with
them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the
vineyard in all things.
Jacob 5:73
73 And there began to be the natural fruit again in the
vineyard; and the natural branches began to grow and thrive
exceedingly; and the wild branches began to be plucked off and to
be cast away; and they did keep the root and the top thereof
equal, according to the strength thereof.
Jacob 5:74
74 And thus they labored, with all diligence, according to the
commandments of the Lord of the vineyard, even until the bad had
been cast away out of the vineyard, and the Lord had preserved
unto himself that the trees had become again the natural fruit;
and they became like unto one body; and the fruits were equal;
and the Lord of the vineyard had preserved unto himself the
natural fruit, which was most precious unto him from the
beginning.
Jacob 5:75
75 And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw
that his fruit was good, and that his vineyard was no more
corrupt, he called up his servants, and said unto them: Behold,
for this last time have we nourished my vineyard; and thou
beholdest that I have done according to my will; and I have
preserved the natural fruit, that it is good, even like as it was
in the beginning. And blessed art thou; for because ye have been
diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my
commandments, and have brought unto me again the natural fruit,
that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is cast away,
behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my
vineyard.
Jacob 5:76
76 For behold, for a long time will I lay up of the fruit of my
vineyard unto mine own self against the season, which speedily
cometh; and for the last time have I nourished my vineyard, and
pruned it, and dug about it, and dunged it; wherefore I will lay
up unto mine own self of the fruit, for a long time, according to
that which I have spoken.
Jacob 5:77
77 And when the time cometh that evil fruit shall again come
into my vineyard, then will I cause the good and the bad to be
gathered; and the good will I preserve unto myself, and the bad
will I cast away into its own place. And then cometh the season
and the end; and my vineyard will I cause to be burned with fire.
Jacob 6
Chapter 6
Jacob 6:1
1 And now, behold, my brethren, as I said unto you that I would
prophesy, behold, this is my prophecy--that the things which this
prophet Zenos spake, concerning the house of Israel, in the which
he likened them unto a tame olive-tree, must surely come to pass.
Jacob 6:2
2 And the day that he shall set his hand again the second time
to recover his people, is the day, yea, even the last time, that
the servants of the Lord shall go forth in his power, to nourish
and prune his vineyard; and after that the end soon cometh.
Jacob 6:3
3 And how blessed are they who have labored diligently in his
vineyard; and how cursed are they who shall be cast out into
their own place! And the world shall be burned with fire.
Jacob 6:4
4 And how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the
house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth
his hands unto them all the day long; and they are a stiffnecked
and a gainsaying people; but as many as will not harden their
hearts shall be saved in the kingdom of God.
Jacob 6:5
5 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of
soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of
heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while
his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day,
harden not your hearts.
Jacob 6:6
6 Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts;
for why will ye die?
Jacob 6:7
7 For behold, after ye have been nourished by the good word of
God all the day long, will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye
must be hewn down and cast into the fire?
Jacob 6:8
8 Behold, will ye reject these words? Will ye reject the words
of the prophets; and will ye reject all the words which have been
spoken concerning Christ, after so many have spoken concerning
him; and deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God, and
the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make
a mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for
you?
Jacob 6:9
9 Know ye not that if ye will do these things, that the power of
the redemption and the resurrection, which is in Christ, will
bring you to stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of
God?
Jacob 6:10
10 And according to the power of justice, for justice cannot be
denied, ye must go away into that lake of fire and brimstone,
whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up
forever and ever, which lake of fire and brimstone is endless
torment.
Jacob 6:11
11 O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the
strait gate, and continue in the way which is narrow, until ye
shall obtain eternal life.
Jacob 6:12
12 O be wise; what can I say more?
Jacob 6:13
13 Finally, I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before
the pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful
dread and fear. Amen.
Jacob 7
Chapter 7
Jacob 7:1
1 And now it came to pass after some years had passed away,
there came a man among the people of Nephi, whose name was
Sherem.
Jacob 7:2
2 And it came to pass that he began to preach among the people,
and to declare unto them that there should be no Christ. And he
preached many things which were flattering unto the people; and
this he did that he might overthrow the doctrine of Christ.
Jacob 7:3
3 And he labored diligently that he might lead away the hearts
of the people, insomuch that he did lead away many hearts; and he
knowing that I, Jacob, had faith in Christ who should come, he
sought much opportunity that he might come unto me.
Jacob 7:4
4 And he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the
language of the people; wherefore, he could use much flattery,
and much power of speech, according to the power of the devil.
Jacob 7:5
5 And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding
the many revelations and the many things which I had seen
concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they
had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the
Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore,
I could not be shaken.
Jacob 7:6
6 And it came to pass that he came unto me, and on this wise did
he speak unto me, saying: Brother Jacob, I have sought much
opportunity that I might speak unto you; for I have heard and
also know that thou goest about much, preaching that which ye
call the gospel, or the doctrine of Christ.
Jacob 7:7
7 And ye have led away much of this people that they pervert the
right way of God, and keep not the law of Moses which is the
right way; and convert the law of Moses into the worship of a
being which ye say shall come many hundred years hence. And now
behold, I, Sherem, declare unto you that this is blasphemy; for
no man knoweth of such things; for he cannot tell of things to
come. And after this manner did Sherem contend against me.
Jacob 7:8
8 But behold, the Lord God poured in his Spirit into my soul,
insomuch that I did confound him in all his words.
Jacob 7:9
9 And I said unto him: Deniest thou the Christ who shall come?
And he said: If there should be a Christ, I would not deny him;
but I know that there is no Christ, neither has been, nor ever
will be.
Jacob 7:10
10 And I said unto him: Believest thou the scriptures? And he
said, Yea.
Jacob 7:11
11 And I said unto him: Then ye do not understand them; for they
truly testify of Christ. Behold, I say unto you that none of the
prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken
concerning this Christ.
Jacob 7:12
12 And this is not all--it has been made manifest unto me, for I
have heard and seen; and it also has been made manifest unto me
by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, I know if there should
be no atonement made all mankind must be lost.
Jacob 7:13
13 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Show me a sign by
this power of the Holy Ghost, in the which ye know so much.
Jacob 7:14
14 And I said unto him: What am I that I should tempt God to
show unto thee a sign in the thing which thou knowest to be true?
Yet thou wilt deny it, because thou art of the devil.
Nevertheless, not my will be done; but if God shall smite thee,
let that be a sign unto thee that he has power, both in heaven
and in earth; and also, that Christ shall come. And thy will, O
Lord, be done, and not mine.
Jacob 7:15
15 And it came to pass that when I, Jacob, had spoken these
words, the power of the Lord came upon him, insomuch that he fell
to the earth. And it came to pass that he was nourished for the
space of many days.
Jacob 7:16
16 And it came to pass that he said unto the people: Gather
together on the morrow, for I shall die; wherefore, I desire to
speak unto the people before I shall die.
Jacob 7:17
17 And it came to pass that on the morrow the multitude were
gathered together; and he spake plainly unto them and denied the
things which he had taught them, and confessed the Christ, and
the power of the Holy Ghost, and the ministering of angels.
Jacob 7:18
18 And he spake plainly unto them, that he had been deceived by
the power of the devil. And he spake of hell, and of eternity,
and of eternal punishment.
Jacob 7:19
19 And he said: I fear lest I have committed the unpardonable
sin, for I have lied unto God; for I denied the Christ, and said
that I believed the scriptures; and they truly testify of him.
And because I have thus lied unto God I greatly fear lest my case
shall be awful; but I confess unto God.
Jacob 7:20
20 And it came to pass that when he had said these words he
could say no more, and he gave up the ghost.
Jacob 7:21
21 And when the multitude had witnessed that he spake these
things as he was about to give up the ghost, they were astonished
exceedingly; insomuch that the power of God came down upon them,
and they were overcome that they fell to the earth.
Jacob 7:22
22 Now, this thing was pleasing unto me, Jacob, for I had
requested it of my Father who was in heaven; for he had heard my
cry and answered my prayer.
Jacob 7:23
23 And it came to pass that peace and the love of God was
restored again among the people; and they searched the
scriptures, and hearkened no more to the words of this wicked
man.
Jacob 7:24
24 And it came to pass that many means were devised to reclaim
and restore the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; but it
all was vain, for they delighted in wars and bloodshed, and they
had an eternal hatred against us, their brethren. And they
sought by the power of their arms to destroy us continually.
Jacob 7:25
25 Wherefore, the people of Nephi did fortify against them with
their arms, and with all their might, trusting in the God and
rock of their salvation; wherefore, they became as yet,
conquerors of their enemies.
Jacob 7:26
26 And it came to pass that I, Jacob, began to be old; and the
record of this people being kept on the other plates of Nephi,
wherefore, I conclude this record, declaring that I have written
according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time
passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it
were unto us a dream, we being a lonesome and a solemn people,
wanderers, cast out from Jerusalem, born in tribulation, in a
wilderness, and hated of our brethren, which caused wars and
contentions; wherefore, we did mourn out our days.
Jacob 7:27
27 And I, Jacob, saw that I must soon go down to my grave;
wherefore, I said unto my son Enos: Take these plates. And I
told him the things which my brother Nephi had commanded me, and
he promised obedience unto the commands. And I make an end of my
writing upon these plates, which writing has been small; and to
the reader I bid farewell, hoping that many of my brethren may
read my words. Brethren, adieu.
Enos 1
THE BOOK OF ENOS
Enos 1:1
1 Behold, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that
he was a just man--for he taught me in his language, and also in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord--and blessed be the name
of my God for it--
Enos 1:2
2 And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God,
before I received a remission of my sins.
Enos 1:3
3 Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words
which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life,
and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.
Enos 1:4
4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and
I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own
soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the
night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the
heavens.
Enos 1:5
5 And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are
forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
Enos 1:6
6 And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt
was swept away.
Enos 1:7
7 And I said: Lord, how is it done?
Enos 1:8
8 And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou
hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away
before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to,
thy faith hath made thee whole.
Enos 1:9
9 Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words I began
to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites;
wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them.
Enos 1:10
10 And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the
voice of the Lord came into my mind again, saying: I will visit
thy brethren according to their diligence in keeping my
commandments. I have given unto them this land, and it is a holy
land; and I curse it not save it be for the cause of iniquity;
wherefore, I will visit thy brethren according as I have said;
and their transgressions will I bring down with sorrow upon their
own heads.
Enos 1:11
11 And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began to
be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed unto him with many long
strugglings for my brethren, the Lamanites.
Enos 1:12
12 And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with
all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee
according to thy desires, because of thy faith.
Enos 1:13
13 And now behold, this was the desire which I desired of
him--that if it should so be, that my people, the Nephites,
should fall into transgression, and by any means be destroyed,
and the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that the Lord God
would preserve a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so
be by the power of his holy arm, that it might be brought forth
at some future day unto the Lamanites, that, perhaps, they might
be brought unto salvation--
Enos 1:14
14 For at the present our strugglings were vain in restoring
them to the true faith. And they swore in their wrath that, if
it were possible, they would destroy our records and us, and also
all the traditions of our fathers.
Enos 1:15
15 Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve
our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto
me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye
shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.
Enos 1:16
16 And I had faith, and I did cry unto God that he would
preserve the records; and he covenanted with me that he would
bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time.
Enos 1:17
17 And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant which
he had made; wherefore my soul did rest.
Enos 1:18
18 And the Lord said unto me: Thy fathers have also required of
me this thing; and it shall be done unto them according to their
faith; for their faith was like unto thine.
Enos 1:19
19 And now it came to pass that I, Enos, went about among the
people of Nephi, prophesying of things to come, and testifying of
the things which I had heard and seen.
Enos 1:20
20 And I bear record that the people of Nephi did seek
diligently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God.
But our labors were vain; their hatred was fixed, and they were
led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious,
and a bloodthirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness;
feeding upon beasts of prey; dwelling in tents, and wandering
about in the wilderness with a short skin girdle about their
loins and their heads shaven; and their skill was in the bow, and
in the cimeter, and the ax. And many of them did eat nothing
save it was raw meat; and they were continually seeking to
destroy us.
Enos 1:21
21 And it came to pass that the people of Nephi did till the
land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of
herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and
goats, and wild goats, and also many horses.
Enos 1:22
22 And there were exceedingly many prophets among us. And the
people were a stiffnecked people, hard to understand.
Enos 1:23
23 And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness,
preaching and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and
destructions, and continually reminding them of death, and the
duration of eternity, and the judgments and the power of God, and
all these things--stirring them up continually to keep them in
the fear of the Lord. I say there was nothing short of these
things, and exceedingly great plainness of speech, would keep
them from going down speedily to destruction. And after this
manner do I write concerning them.
Enos 1:24
24 And I saw wars between the Nephites and Lamanites in the
course of my days.
Enos 1:25
25 And it came to pass that I began to be old, and an hundred
and seventy and nine years had passed away from the time that our
father Lehi left Jerusalem.
Enos 1:26
26 And I saw that I must soon go down to my grave, having been
wrought upon by the power of God that I must preach and prophesy
unto this people, and declare the word according to the truth
which is in Christ. And I have declared it in all my days, and
have rejoiced in it above that of the world.
Enos 1:27
27 And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my
Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in
the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand
before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will
say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared
for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen.
Jarom 1
THE BOOK OF JAROM
Jarom 1:1
1 Now behold, I, Jarom, write a few words according to the
commandment of my father, Enos, that our genealogy may be kept.
Jarom 1:2
2 And as these plates are small, and as these things are written
for the intent of the benefit of our brethren the Lamanites,
wherefore, it must needs be that I write a little; but I shall
not write the things of my prophesying, nor of my revelations.
For what could I write more than my fathers have written? For
have not they revealed the plan of salvation? I say unto you,
Yea; and this sufficeth me.
Jarom 1:3
3 Behold, it is expedient that much should be done among this
people, because of the hardness of their hearts, and the deafness
of their ears, and the blindness of their minds, and the
stiffness of their necks; nevertheless, God is exceedingly
merciful unto them, and has not as yet swept them off from the
face of the land.
Jarom 1:4
4 And there are many among us who have many revelations, for
they are not all stiffnecked. And as many as are not stiffnecked
and have faith, have communion with the Holy Spirit, which maketh
manifest unto the children of men, according to their faith.
Jarom 1:5
5 And now, behold, two hundred years had passed away, and the
people of Nephi had waxed strong in the land. They observed to
keep the law of Moses and the sabbath day holy unto the Lord.
And they profaned not; neither did they blaspheme. And the laws
of the land were exceedingly strict.
Jarom 1:6
6 And they were scattered upon much of the face of the land, and
the Lamanites also. And they were exceedingly more numerous than
were they of the Nephites; and they loved murder and would drink
the blood of beasts.
Jarom 1:7
7 And it came to pass that they came many times against us, the
Nephites, to battle. But our kings and our leaders were mighty
men in the faith of the Lord; and they taught the people the ways
of the Lord; wherefore, we withstood the Lamanites and swept them
away out of our lands, and began to fortify our cities, or
whatsoever place of our inheritance.
Jarom 1:8
8 And we multiplied exceedingly, and spread upon the face of the
land, and became exceedingly rich in gold, and in silver, and in
precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, in buildings,
and in machinery, and also in iron and copper, and brass and
steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the
ground, and weapons of war--yea, the sharp pointed arrow, and the
quiver, and the dart, and the javelin, and all preparations for
war.
Jarom 1:9
9 And thus being prepared to meet the Lamanites, they did not
prosper against us. But the word of the Lord was verified, which
he spake unto our fathers, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will keep
my commandments ye shall prosper in the land.
Jarom 1:10
10 And it came to pass that the prophets of the Lord did
threaten the people of Nephi, according to the word of God, that
if they did not keep the commandments, but should fall into
transgression, they should be destroyed from off the face of the
land.
Jarom 1:11
11 Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers,
did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the
people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent
for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the
Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was.
And after this manner did they teach them.
Jarom 1:12
12 And it came to pass that by so doing they kept them from
being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick
their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto
repentance.
Jarom 1:13
13 And it came to pass that two hundred and thirty and eight
years had passed away--after the manner of wars, and contentions,
and dissensions, for the space of much of the time.
Jarom 1:14
14 And I, Jarom, do not write more, for the plates are small.
But behold, my brethren, ye can go to the other plates of Nephi;
for behold, upon them the records of our wars are engraven,
according to the writings of the kings, or those which they
caused to be written.
Jarom 1:15
15 And I deliver these plates into the hands of my son Omni,
that they may be kept according to the commandments of my
fathers.
Omni 1
THE BOOK OF OMNI
Omni 1:1
1 Behold, it came to pass that I, Omni, being commanded by my
father, Jarom, that I should write somewhat upon these plates, to
preserve our genealogy--
Omni 1:2
2 Wherefore, in my days, I would that ye should know that I
fought much with the sword to preserve my people, the Nephites,
from falling into the hands of their enemies, the Lamanites. But
behold, I of myself am a wicked man, and I have not kept the
statutes and the commandments of the Lord as I ought to have
done.
Omni 1:3
3 And it came to pass that two hundred and seventy and six years
had passed away, and we had many seasons of peace; and we had
many seasons of serious war and bloodshed. Yea, and in fine, two
hundred and eighty and two years had passed away, and I had kept
these plates according to the commandments of my fathers; and I
conferred them upon my son Amaron. And I make an end.
Omni 1:4
4 And now I, Amaron, write the things whatsoever I write, which
are few, in the book of my father.
Omni 1:5
5 Behold, it came to pass that three hundred and twenty years
had passed away, and the more wicked part of the Nephites were
destroyed.
Omni 1:6
6 For the Lord would not suffer, after he had led them out of
the land of Jerusalem and kept and preserved them from falling
into the hands of their enemies, yea, he would not suffer that
the words should not be verified, which he spake unto our
fathers, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will not keep my
commandments ye shall not prosper in the land.
Omni 1:7
7 Wherefore, the Lord did visit them in great judgment;
nevertheless, he did spare the righteous that they should not
perish, but did deliver them out of the hands of their enemies.
Omni 1:8
8 And it came to pass that I did deliver the plates unto my
brother Chemish.
Omni 1:9
9 Now I, Chemish, write what few things I write, in the same
book with my brother; for behold, I saw the last which he wrote,
that he wrote it with his own hand; and he wrote it in the day
that he delivered them unto me. And after this manner we keep
the records, for it is according to the commandments of our
fathers. And I make an end.
Omni 1:10
10 Behold, I, Abinadom, am the son of Chemish. Behold, it came
to pass that I saw much war and contention between my people, the
Nephites, and the Lamanites; and I, with my own sword, have taken
the lives of many of the Lamanites in the defence of my brethren.
Omni 1:11
11 And behold, the record of this people is engraven upon plates
which is had by the kings, according to the generations; and I
know of no revelation save that which has been written, neither
prophecy; wherefore, that which is sufficient is written. And I
make an end.
Omni 1:12
12 Behold, I am Amaleki, the son of Abinadom. Behold, I will
speak unto you somewhat concerning Mosiah, who was made king over
the land of Zarahemla; for behold, he being warned of the Lord
that he should flee out of the land of Nephi, and as many as
would hearken unto the voice of the Lord should also depart out
of the land with him, into the wilderness--
Omni 1:13
13 And it came to pass that he did according as the Lord had
commanded him. And they departed out of the land into the
wilderness, as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord;
and they were led by many preachings and prophesyings. And they
were admonished continually by the word of God; and they were led
by the power of his arm, through the wilderness, until they came
down into the land which is called the land of Zarahemla.
Omni 1:14
14 And they discovered a people, who were called the people of
Zarahemla. Now, there was great rejoicing among the people of
Zarahemla; and also Zarahemla did rejoice exceedingly, because
the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass
which contained the record of the Jews.
Omni 1:15
15 Behold, it came to pass that Mosiah discovered that the
people of Zarahemla came out from Jerusalem at the time that
Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon.
Omni 1:16
16 And they journeyed in the wilderness, and were brought by the
hand of the Lord across the great waters, into the land where
Mosiah discovered them; and they had dwelt there from that time
forth.
Omni 1:17
17 And at the time that Mosiah discovered them, they had become
exceedingly numerous. Nevertheless, they had had many wars and
serious contentions, and had fallen by the sword from time to
time; and their language had become corrupted; and they had
brought no records with them; and they denied the being of their
Creator; and Mosiah, nor the people of Mosiah, could understand
them.
Omni 1:18
18 But it came to pass that Mosiah caused that they should be
taught in his language. And it came to pass that after they were
taught in the language of Mosiah, Zarahemla gave a genealogy of
his fathers, according to his memory; and they are written, but
not in these plates.
Omni 1:19
19 And it came to pass that the people of Zarahemla, and of
Mosiah, did unite together; and Mosiah was appointed to be their
king.
Omni 1:20
20 And it came to pass in the days of Mosiah, there was a large
stone brought unto him with engravings on it; and he did
interpret the engravings by the gift and power of God.
Omni 1:21
21 And they gave an account of one Coriantumr, and the slain of
his people. And Coriantumr was discovered by the people of
Zarahemla; and he dwelt with them for the space of nine moons.
Omni 1:22
22 It also spake a few words concerning his fathers. And his
first parents came out from the tower, at the time the Lord
confounded the language of the people; and the severity of the
Lord fell upon them according to his judgments, which are just;
and their bones lay scattered in the land northward.
Omni 1:23
23 Behold, I, Amaleki, was born in the days of Mosiah; and I
have lived to see his death; and Benjamin, his son, reigneth in
his stead.
Omni 1:24
24 And behold, I have seen, in the days of king Benjamin, a
serious war and much bloodshed between the Nephites and the
Lamanites. But behold, the Nephites did obtain much advantage
over them; yea, insomuch that king Benjamin did drive them out of
the land of Zarahemla.
Omni 1:25
25 And it came to pass that I began to be old; and, having no
seed, and knowing king Benjamin to be a just man before the Lord,
wherefore, I shall deliver up these plates unto him, exhorting
all men to come unto God, the Holy One of Israel, and believe in
prophesying, and in revelations, and in the ministering of
angels, and in the gift of speaking with tongues, and in the gift
of interpreting languages, and in all things which are good; for
there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord; and
that which is evil cometh from the devil.
Omni 1:26
26 And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come
unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his
salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him,
and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue
in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord
liveth ye will be saved.
Omni 1:27
27 And now I would speak somewhat concerning a certain number
who went up into the wilderness to return to the land of Nephi;
for there was a large number who were desirous to possess the
land of their inheritance.
Omni 1:28
28 Wherefore, they went up into the wilderness. And their
leader being a strong and mighty man, and a stiffnecked man,
wherefore he caused a contention among them; and they were all
slain, save fifty, in the wilderness, and they returned again to
the land of Zarahemla.
Omni 1:29
29 And it came to pass that they also took others to a
considerable number, and took their journey again into the
wilderness.
Omni 1:30
30 And I, Amaleki, had a brother, who also went with them; and I
have not since known concerning them. And I am about to lie down
in my grave; and these plates are full. And I make an end of my
speaking.
Words of Mormon 1
THE WORDS OF MORMON
Words of Mormon 1:1
1 And now I, Mormon, being about to deliver up the record which
I have been making into the hands of my son Moroni, behold I have
witnessed almost all the destruction of my people, the Nephites.
Words of Mormon 1:2
2 And it is many hundred years after the coming of Christ that I
deliver these records into the hands of my son; and it supposeth
me that he will witness the entire destruction of my people. But
may God grant that he may survive them, that he may write
somewhat concerning them, and somewhat concerning Christ, that
perhaps some day it may profit them.
Words of Mormon 1:3
3 And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have
written; for after I had made an abridgment from the plates of
Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of whom Amaleki
spake, I searched among the records which had been delivered into
my hands, and I found these plates, which contained this small
account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this
king Benjamin, and also many of the words of Nephi.
Words of Mormon 1:4
4 And the things which are upon these plates pleasing me,
because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ; and my fathers
knowing that many of them have been fulfilled; yea, and I also
know that as many things as have been prophesied concerning us
down to this day have been fulfilled, and as many as go beyond
this day must surely come to pass--
Words of Mormon 1:5
5 Wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon
them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates
of Nephi; and I cannot write the hundredth part of the things of
my people.
Words of Mormon 1:6
6 But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these
prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of
my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be
choice unto my brethren.
Words of Mormon 1:7
7 And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me,
according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in
me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all
things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do
according to his will.
Words of Mormon 1:8
8 And my prayer to God is concerning my brethren, that they may
once again come to the knowledge of God, yea, the redemption of
Christ; that they may once again be a delightsome people.
Words of Mormon 1:9
9 And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record, which I
take from the plates of Nephi; and I make it according to the
knowledge and the understanding which God has given me.
Words of Mormon 1:10
10 Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered
up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and
put them with the other plates, which contained records which had
been handed down by the kings, from generation to generation
until the days of king Benjamin.
Words of Mormon 1:11
11 And they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation
to generation until they have fallen into my hands. And I,
Mormon, pray to God that they may be preserved from this time
henceforth. And I know that they will be preserved; for there
are great things written upon them, out of which my people and
their brethren shall be judged at the great and last day,
according to the word of God which is written.
Words of Mormon 1:12
12 And now, concerning this king Benjamin--he had somewhat of
contentions among his own people.
Words of Mormon 1:13
13 And it came to pass also that the armies of the Lamanites
came down out of the land of Nephi, to battle against his people.
But behold, king Benjamin gathered together his armies, and he
did stand against them; and he did fight with the strength of his
own arm, with the sword of Laban.
Words of Mormon 1:14
14 And in the strength of the Lord they did contend against
their enemies, until they had slain many thousands of the
Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did contend against the
Lamanites until they had driven them out of all the lands of
their inheritance.
Words of Mormon 1:15
15 And it came to pass that after there had been false Christs,
and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to
their crimes;
Words of Mormon 1:16
16 And after there had been false prophets, and false preachers
and teachers among the people, and all these having been punished
according to their crimes; and after there having been much
contention and many dissensions away unto the Lamanites, behold,
it came to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the
holy prophets who were among his people--
Words of Mormon 1:17
17 For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign
over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in
the land, and they did speak the word of God with power and with
authority; and they did use much sharpness because of the
stiffneckedness of the people--
Words of Mormon 1:18
18 Wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring
with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul,
and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land.
Mosiah
THE BOOK OF MOSIAH
Mosiah 1
Chapter 1
Mosiah 1:1
1 And now there was no more contention in all the land of
Zarahemla, among all the people who belonged to king Benjamin, so
that king Benjamin had continual peace all the remainder of his
days.
Mosiah 1:2
2 And it came to pass that he had three sons; and he called
their names Mosiah, and Helorum, and Helaman. And he caused that
they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that
thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they
might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the
mouths of their fathers, which were delivered them by the hand of
the Lord.
Mosiah 1:3
3 And he also taught them concerning the records which were
engraven on the plates of brass, saying: My sons, I would that ye
should remember that were it not for these plates, which contain
these records and these commandments, we must have suffered in
ignorance, even at this present time, not knowing the mysteries
of God.
Mosiah 1:4
4 For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have
remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children,
except it were for the help of these plates; for he having been
taught in the language of the Egyptians therefore he could read
these engravings, and teach them to his children, that thereby
they could teach them to their children, and so fulfilling the
commandments of God, even down to this present time.
Mosiah 1:5
5 I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which
have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might
read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments
always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled
in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the
Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things, or even do
not believe them when they are taught them, because of the
traditions of their fathers, which are not correct.
Mosiah 1:6
6 O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings
are true, and also that these records are true. And behold, also
the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and the sayings of
our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now, and they
are true; and we can know of their surety because we have them
before our eyes.
Mosiah 1:7
7 And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search
them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye
should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the
land according to the promises which the Lord made unto our
fathers.
Mosiah 1:8
8 And many more things did king Benjamin teach his sons, which
are not written in this book.
Mosiah 1:9
9 And it came to pass that after king Benjamin had made an end
of teaching his sons, that he waxed old, and he saw that he must
very soon go the way of all the earth; therefore, he thought it
expedient that he should confer the kingdom upon one of his sons.
Mosiah 1:10
10 Therefore, he had Mosiah brought before him; and these are
the words which he spake unto him, saying: My son, I would that
ye should make a proclamation throughout all this land among all
this people, or the people of Zarahemla, and the people of Mosiah
who dwell in the land, that thereby they may be gathered
together; for on the morrow I shall proclaim unto this my people
out of mine own mouth that thou art a king and a ruler over this
people, whom the Lord our God hath given us.
Mosiah 1:11
11 And moreover, I shall give this people a name, that thereby
they may be distinguished above all the people which the Lord God
hath brought out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I do because
they have been a diligent people in keeping the commandments of
the Lord.
Mosiah 1:12
12 And I give unto them a name that never shall be blotted out,
except it be through transgression.
Mosiah 1:13
13 Yea, and moreover I say unto you, that if this highly favored
people of the Lord should fall into transgression, and become a
wicked and an adulterous people, that the Lord will deliver them
up, that thereby they become weak like unto their brethren; and
he will no more preserve them by his matchless and marvelous
power, as he has hitherto preserved our fathers.
Mosiah 1:14
14 For I say unto you, that if he had not extended his arm in
the preservation of our fathers they must have fallen into the
hands of the Lamanites, and become victims to their hatred.
Mosiah 1:15
15 And it came to pass that after king Benjamin had made an end
of these sayings to his son, that he gave him charge concerning
all the affairs of the kingdom.
Mosiah 1:16
16 And moreover, he also gave him charge concerning the records
which were engraven on the plates of brass; and also the plates
of Nephi; and also, the sword of Laban, and the ball or director,
which led our fathers through the wilderness, which was prepared
by the hand of the Lord that thereby they might be led, every one
according to the heed and diligence which they gave unto him.
Mosiah 1:17
17 Therefore, as they were unfaithful they did not prosper nor
progress in their journey, but were driven back, and incurred the
displeasure of God upon them; and therefore they were smitten
with famine and sore afflictions, to stir them up in remembrance
of their duty.
Mosiah 1:18
18 And now, it came to pass that Mosiah went and did as his
father had commanded him, and proclaimed unto all the people who
were in the land of Zarahemla that thereby they might gather
themselves together, to go up to the temple to hear the words
which his father should speak unto them.
Mosiah 2
Chapter 2
Mosiah 2:1
1 And it came to pass that after Mosiah had done as his father
had commanded him, and had made a proclamation throughout all the
land, that the people gathered themselves together throughout all
the land, that they might go up to the temple to hear the words
which king Benjamin should speak unto them.
Mosiah 2:2
2 And there were a great number, even so many that they did not
number them; for they had multiplied exceedingly and waxed great
in the land.
Mosiah 2:3
3 And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that
they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the
law of Moses;
Mosiah 2:4
4 And also that they might give thanks to the Lord their God,
who had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, and who had
delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and had
appointed just men to be their teachers, and also a just man to
be their king, who had established peace in the land of
Zarahemla, and who had taught them to keep the commandments of
God, that they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God
and all men.
Mosiah 2:5
5 And it came to pass that when they came up to the temple, they
pitched their tents round about, every man according to his
family, consisting of his wife, and his sons, and his daughters,
and their sons, and their daughters, from the eldest down to the
youngest, every family being separate one from another.
Mosiah 2:6
6 And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man
having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that
thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which
king Benjamin should speak unto them;
Mosiah 2:7
7 For the multitude being so great that king Benjamin could not
teach them all within the walls of the temple, therefore he
caused a tower to be erected, that thereby his people might hear
the words which he should speak unto them.
Mosiah 2:8
8 And it came to pass that he began to speak to his people from
the tower; and they could not all hear his words because of the
greatness of the multitude; therefore he caused that the words
which he spake should be written and sent forth among those that
were not under the sound of his voice, that they might also
receive his words.
Mosiah 2:9
9 And these are the words which he spake and caused to be
written, saying: My brethren, all ye that have assembled
yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall
speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you to come up
hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you
should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and
your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the
mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.
Mosiah 2:10
10 I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should
fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a
mortal man.
Mosiah 2:11
11 But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of
infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this
people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the
hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this
people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power,
to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord
hath granted unto me.
Mosiah 2:12
12 I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days
in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold
nor silver nor any manner of riches of you;
Mosiah 2:13
13 Neither have I suffered that ye should be confined in
dungeons, nor that ye should make slaves one of another, nor that
ye should murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery; nor
even have I suffered that ye should commit any manner of
wickedness, and have taught you that ye should keep the
commandments of the Lord, in all things which he hath commanded
you--
Mosiah 2:14
14 And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I
might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and
that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be
borne--and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves
are witnesses this day.
Mosiah 2:15
15 Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might
boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse
you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can
answer a clear conscience before God this day.
Mosiah 2:16
16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I
had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for
I have only been in the service of God.
Mosiah 2:17
17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom;
that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow
beings ye are only in the service of your God.
Mosiah 2:18
18 Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call
your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to
serve one another?
Mosiah 2:19
19 And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent
his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God,
do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your
heavenly King!
Mosiah 2:20
20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all
the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess,
to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you,
and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye
should live in peace one with another--
Mosiah 2:21
21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created
you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by
lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to
your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to
another--I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls
yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
Mosiah 2:22
22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his
commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his
commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth
vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his
commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
Mosiah 2:23
23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted
unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.
Mosiah 2:24
24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath
commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you;
and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto
him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what
have ye to boast?
Mosiah 2:25
25 And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you,
Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the
earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold,
it belongeth to him who created you.
Mosiah 2:26
26 And I, even I, whom ye call your king, am no better than ye
yourselves are; for I am also of the dust. And ye behold that I
am old, and am about to yield up this mortal frame to its mother
earth.
Mosiah 2:27
27 Therefore, as I said unto you that I had served you, walking
with a clear conscience before God, even so I at this time have
caused that ye should assemble yourselves together, that I might
be found blameless, and that your blood should not come upon me,
when I shall stand to be judged of God of the things whereof he
hath commanded me concerning you.
Mosiah 2:28
28 I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble
yourselves together that I might rid my garments of your blood,
at this period of time when I am about to go down to my grave,
that I might go down in peace, and my immortal spirit may join
the choirs above in singing the praises of a just God.
Mosiah 2:29
29 And moreover, I say unto you that I have caused that ye
should assemble yourselves together, that I might declare unto
you that I can no longer be your teacher, nor your king;
Mosiah 2:30
30 For even at this time, my whole frame doth tremble
exceedingly while attempting to speak unto you; but the Lord God
doth support me, and hath suffered me that I should speak unto
you, and hath commanded me that I should declare unto you this
day, that my son Mosiah is a king and a ruler over you.
Mosiah 2:31
31 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should do as ye have
hitherto done. As ye have kept my commandments, and also the
commandments of my father, and have prospered, and have been kept
from falling into the hands of your enemies, even so if ye shall
keep the commandments of my son, or the commandments of God which
shall be delivered unto you by him, ye shall prosper in the land,
and your enemies shall have no power over you.
Mosiah 2:32
32 But, O my people, beware lest there shall arise contentions
among you, and ye list to obey the evil spirit, which was spoken
of by my father Mosiah.
Mosiah 2:33
33 For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to
obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth
and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own
soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment,
having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.
Mosiah 2:34
34 I say unto you, that there are not any among you, except it
be your little children that have not been taught concerning
these things, but what knoweth that ye are eternally indebted to
your heavenly Father, to render to him all that you have and are;
and also have been taught concerning the records which contain
the prophecies which have been spoken by the holy prophets, even
down to the time our father, Lehi, left Jerusalem;
Mosiah 2:35
35 And also, all that has been spoken by our fathers until now.
And behold, also, they spake that which was commanded them of the
Lord; therefore, they are just and true.
Mosiah 2:36
36 And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have
known and have been taught all these things, if ye should
transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye
do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may
have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may
be blessed, prospered, and preserved--
Mosiah 2:37
37 I say unto you, that the man that doeth this, the same cometh
out in open rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey
the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness;
therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in
unholy temples.
Mosiah 2:38
38 Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth
an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his
immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth
cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill
his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an
unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.
Mosiah 2:39
39 And now I say unto you, that mercy hath no claim on that man;
therefore his final doom is to endure a never-ending torment.
Mosiah 2:40
40 O, all ye old men, and also ye young men, and you little
children who can understand my words, for I have spoken plainly
unto you that ye might understand, I pray that ye should awake to
a remembrance of the awful situation of those that have fallen
into transgression.
Mosiah 2:41
41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the
blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of
God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal
and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are
received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a
state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these
things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
Mosiah 3
Chapter 3
Mosiah 3:1
1 And again my brethren, I would call your attention, for I have
somewhat more to speak unto you; for behold, I have things to
tell you concerning that which is to come.
Mosiah 3:2
2 And the things which I shall tell you are made known unto me
by an angel from God. And he said unto me: Awake; and I awoke,
and behold he stood before me.
Mosiah 3:3
3 And he said unto me: Awake, and hear the words which I shall
tell thee; for behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad
tidings of great joy.
Mosiah 3:4
4 For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy
righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou
mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people,
that they may also be filled with joy.
Mosiah 3:5
5 For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with
power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all
eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the
children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and
shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as
healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the
blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing
all manner of diseases.
Mosiah 3:6
6 And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell
in the hearts of the children of men.
Mosiah 3:7
7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger,
thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be
unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great
shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of
his people.
Mosiah 3:8
8 And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the
Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the
beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.
Mosiah 3:9
9 And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto
the children of men even through faith on his name; and even
after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he
hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.
Mosiah 3:10
10 And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he
standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are
done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of
men.
Mosiah 3:11
11 For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those
who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not
knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly
sinned.
Mosiah 3:12
12 But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against
God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through
repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Mosiah 3:13
13 And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the
children of men, to declare these things to every kindred,
nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that
Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their
sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he
had already come among them.
Mosiah 3:14
14 Yet the Lord God saw that his people were a stiffnecked
people, and he appointed unto them a law, even the law of Moses.
Mosiah 3:15
15 And many signs, and wonders, and types, and shadows showed he
unto them, concerning his coming; and also holy prophets spake
unto them concerning his coming; and yet they hardened their
hearts, and understood not that the law of Moses availeth nothing
except it were through the atonement of his blood.
Mosiah 3:16
16 And even if it were possible that little children could sin
they could not be saved; but I say unto you they are blessed; for
behold, as in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so the blood of
Christ atoneth for their sins.
Mosiah 3:17
17 And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other
name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come
unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ,
the Lord Omnipotent.
Mosiah 3:18
18 For behold he judgeth, and his judgment is just; and the
infant perisheth not that dieth in his infancy; but men drink
damnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and
become as little children, and believe that salvation was, and
is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ,
the Lord Omnipotent.
Mosiah 3:19
19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the
fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to
the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man
and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord,
and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full
of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit
to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.
Mosiah 3:20
20 And moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come when
the knowledge of the Savior shall spread throughout every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people.
Mosiah 3:21
21 And behold, when that time cometh, none shall be found
blameless before God, except it be little children, only through
repentance and faith on the name of the Lord God Omnipotent.
Mosiah 3:22
22 And even at this time, when thou shalt have taught thy people
the things which the Lord thy God hath commanded thee, even then
are they found no more blameless in the sight of God, only
according to the words which I have spoken unto thee.
Mosiah 3:23
23 And now I have spoken the words which the Lord God hath
commanded me.
Mosiah 3:24
24 And thus saith the Lord: They shall stand as a bright
testimony against this people, at the judgment day; whereof they
shall be judged, every man according to his works, whether they
be good, or whether they be evil.
Mosiah 3:25
25 And if they be evil they are consigned to an awful view of
their own guilt and abominations, which doth cause them to shrink
from the presence of the Lord into a state of misery and endless
torment, from whence they can no more return; therefore they have
drunk damnation to their own souls.
Mosiah 3:26
26 Therefore, they have drunk out of the cup of the wrath of
God, which justice could no more deny unto them than it could
deny that Adam should fall because of his partaking of the
forbidden fruit; therefore, mercy could have claim on them no
more forever.
Mosiah 3:27
27 And their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose
flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and
ever. Thus hath the Lord commanded me. Amen.
Mosiah 4
Chapter 4
Mosiah 4:1
1 And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an
end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by
the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the
multitude, and behold they had fallen to the earth, for the fear
of the Lord had come upon them.
Mosiah 4:2
2 And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even
less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with
one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of
Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our
hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall
come down among the children of men.
Mosiah 4:3
3 And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the
Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy,
having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of
conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in
Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king
Benjamin had spoken unto them.
Mosiah 4:4
4 And king Benjamin again opened his mouth and began to speak
unto them, saying: My friends and my brethren, my kindred and my
people, I would again call your attention, that ye may hear and
understand the remainder of my words which I shall speak unto
you.
Mosiah 4:5
5 For behold, if the knowledge of the goodness of God at this
time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your
worthless and fallen state--
Mosiah 4:6
6 I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness
of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his
patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and
also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation
of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that
should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in
keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the
end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body--
Mosiah 4:7
7 I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation, through
the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world
for all mankind, which ever were since the fall of Adam, or who
are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world.
Mosiah 4:8
8 And this is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is
none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither
are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the
conditions which I have told you.
Mosiah 4:9
9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all
things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all
wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that
man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can
comprehend.
Mosiah 4:10
10 And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and
forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in
sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you
believe all these things see that ye do them.
Mosiah 4:11
11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye
have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have
known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have
received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly
great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember,
and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your
own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you,
unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of
humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing
steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was
spoken by the mouth of the angel.
Mosiah 4:12
12 And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always
rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a
remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the
glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which
is just and true.
Mosiah 4:13
13 And ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to
live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that
which is his due.
Mosiah 4:14
14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or
naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of
God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil,
who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath
been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all
righteousness.
Mosiah 4:15
15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and
soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve
one another.
Mosiah 4:16
16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need
of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him
that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar
putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to
perish.
Mosiah 4:17
17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his
misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him
of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not
suffer, for his punishments are just--
Mosiah 4:18
18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath
great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he
hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the
kingdom of God.
Mosiah 4:19
19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend
upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we
have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver,
and for all the riches which we have of every kind?
Mosiah 4:20
20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his
name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he
suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his
Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled
with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that
ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.
Mosiah 4:21
21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are
dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth
grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith,
believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart
of the substance that ye have one to another.
Mosiah 4:22
22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you
for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much
more just will be your condemnation for withholding your
substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also
your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of
the thing which thou hast done.
Mosiah 4:23
23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall
perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are
rich as pertaining to the things of this world.
Mosiah 4:24
24 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have
sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who
deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your
hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would
give.
Mosiah 4:25
25 And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless,
otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye
covet that which ye have not received.
Mosiah 4:26
26 And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken
unto you--that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your
sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God--I
would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every
man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry,
clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their
relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their
wants.
Mosiah 4:27
27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order;
for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has
strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent,
that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must
be done in order.
Mosiah 4:28
28 And I would that ye should remember, that whosoever among you
borroweth of his neighbor should return the thing that he
borroweth, according as he doth agree, or else thou shalt commit
sin; and perhaps thou shalt cause thy neighbor to commit sin
also.
Mosiah 4:29
29 And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may
commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many
that I cannot number them.
Mosiah 4:30
30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch
yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds,
and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of
what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto
the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember,
and perish not.
Mosiah 5
Chapter 5
Mosiah 5:1
1 And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had thus
spoken to his people, he sent among them, desiring to know of his
people if they believed the words which he had spoken unto them.
Mosiah 5:2
2 And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all
the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of
their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord
Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our
hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do
good continually.
Mosiah 5:3
3 And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God,
and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that
which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all
things.
Mosiah 5:4
4 And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our
king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great
knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy.
Mosiah 5:5
5 And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do
his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things
that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days, that we
may not bring upon ourselves a never-ending torment, as has been
spoken by the angel, that we may not drink out of the cup of the
wrath of God.
Mosiah 5:6
6 And now, these are the words which king Benjamin desired of
them; and therefore he said unto them: Ye have spoken the words
that I desired; and the covenant which ye have made is a
righteous covenant.
Mosiah 5:7
7 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall
be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters;
for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say
that your hearts are changed through faith on his name;
therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his
daughters.
Mosiah 5:8
8 And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other
head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given
whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take
upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the
covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your
lives.
Mosiah 5:9
9 And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be
found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by
which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.
Mosiah 5:10
10 And now it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not take
upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name;
therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God.
Mosiah 5:11
11 And I would that ye should remember also, that this is the
name that I said I should give unto you that never should be
blotted out, except it be through transgression; therefore, take
heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted out
of your hearts.
Mosiah 5:12
12 I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the
name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the
left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye
shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you.
Mosiah 5:13
13 For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and
who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and
intents of his heart?
Mosiah 5:14
14 And again, doth a man take an ass which belongeth to his
neighbor, and keep him? I say unto you, Nay; he will not even
suffer that he shall feed among his flocks, but will drive him
away, and cast him out. I say unto you, that even so shall it be
among you if ye know not the name by which ye are called.
Mosiah 5:15
15 Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable,
always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God
Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven,
that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through
the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created
all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen.
Mosiah 6
Chapter 6
Mosiah 6:1
1 And now, king Benjamin thought it was expedient, after having
finished speaking to the people, that he should take the names of
all those who had entered into a covenant with God to keep his
commandments.
Mosiah 6:2
2 And it came to pass that there was not one soul, except it
were little children, but who had entered into the covenant and
had taken upon them the name of Christ.
Mosiah 6:3
3 And again, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an
end of all these things, and had consecrated his son Mosiah to be
a ruler and a king over his people, and had given him all the
charges concerning the kingdom, and also had appointed priests to
teach the people, that thereby they might hear and know the
commandments of God, and to stir them up in remembrance of the
oath which they had made, he dismissed the multitude, and they
returned, every one, according to their families, to their own
houses.
Mosiah 6:4
4 And Mosiah began to reign in his father's stead. And he began
to reign in the thirtieth year of his age, making in the whole,
about four hundred and seventy-six years from the time that Lehi
left Jerusalem.
Mosiah 6:5
5 And king Benjamin lived three years and he died.
Mosiah 6:6
6 And it came to pass that king Mosiah did walk in the ways of
the Lord, and did observe his judgments and his statutes, and did
keep his commandments in all things whatsoever he commanded him.
Mosiah 6:7
7 And king Mosiah did cause his people that they should till the
earth. And he also, himself, did till the earth, that thereby he
might not become burdensome to his people, that he might do
according to that which his father had done in all things. And
there was no contention among all his people for the space of
three years.
Mosiah 7
Chapter 7
Mosiah 7:1
1 And now, it came to pass that after king Mosiah had had
continual peace for the space of three years, he was desirous to
know concerning the people who went up to dwell in the land of
Lehi-Nephi, or in the city of Lehi-Nephi; for his people had
heard nothing from them from the time they left the land of
Zarahemla; therefore, they wearied him with their teasings.
Mosiah 7:2
2 And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted that sixteen of
their strong men might go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi to inquire
concerning their brethren.
Mosiah 7:3
3 And it came to pass that on the morrow they started to go up,
having with them one Ammon, he being a strong and mighty man, and
a descendant of Zarahemla; and he was also their leader.
Mosiah 7:4
4 And now, they knew not the course they should travel in the
wilderness to go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi; therefore they
wandered many days in the wilderness, even forty days did they
wander.
Mosiah 7:5
5 And when they had wandered forty days they came to a hill,
which is north of the land of Shilom, and there they pitched
their tents.
Mosiah 7:6
6 And Ammon took three of his brethren, and their names were
Amaleki, Helem, and Hem, and they went down into the land of
Nephi.
Mosiah 7:7
7 And behold, they met the king of the people who were in the
land of Nephi, and in the land of Shilom; and they were
surrounded by the king's guard, and were taken, and were bound,
and were committed to prison.
Mosiah 7:8
8 And it came to pass when they had been in prison two days they
were again brought before the king, and their bands were loosed;
and they stood before the king, and were permitted, or rather
commanded, that they should answer the questions which he should
ask them.
Mosiah 7:9
9 And he said unto them: Behold, I am Limhi, the son of Noah,
who was the son of Zeniff, who came up out of the land of
Zarahemla to inherit this land, which was the land of their
fathers, who was made a king by the voice of the people.
Mosiah 7:10
10 And now, I desire to know the cause whereby ye were so bold
as to come near the walls of the city, when I, myself, was with
my guards without the gate?
Mosiah 7:11
11 And now, for this cause have I suffered that ye should be
preserved, that I might inquire of you, or else I should have
caused that my guards should have put you to death. Ye are
permitted to speak.
Mosiah 7:12
12 And now, when Ammon saw that he was permitted to speak, he
went forth and bowed himself before the king; and rising again he
said: O king, I am very thankful before God this day that I am
yet alive, and am permitted to speak; and I will endeavor to
speak with boldness;
Mosiah 7:13
13 For I am assured that if ye had known me ye would not have
suffered that I should have worn these bands. For I am Ammon,
and am a descendant of Zarahemla, and have come up out of the
land of Zarahemla to inquire concerning our brethren, whom Zeniff
brought up out of that land.
Mosiah 7:14
14 And now, it came to pass that after Limhi had heard the words
of Ammon, he was exceedingly glad, and said: Now, I know of a
surety that my brethren who were in the land of Zarahemla are yet
alive. And now, I will rejoice; and on the morrow I will cause
that my people shall rejoice also.
Mosiah 7:15
15 For behold, we are in bondage to the Lamanites, and are taxed
with a tax which is grievous to be borne. And now, behold, our
brethren will deliver us out of our bondage, or out of the hands
of the Lamanites, and we will be their slaves; for it is better
that we be slaves to the Nephites than to pay tribute to the king
of the Lamanites.
Mosiah 7:16
16 And now, king Limhi commanded his guards that they should no
more bind Ammon nor his brethren, but caused that they should go
to the hill which was north of Shilom, and bring their brethren
into the city, that thereby they might eat, and drink, and rest
themselves from the labors of their journey; for they had
suffered many things; they had suffered hunger, thirst, and
fatigue.
Mosiah 7:17
17 And now, it came to pass on the morrow that king Limhi sent a
proclamation among all his people, that thereby they might gather
themselves together to the temple to hear the words which he
should speak unto them.
Mosiah 7:18
18 And it came to pass that when they had gathered themselves
together that he spake unto them in this wise, saying: O ye, my
people, lift up your heads and be comforted; for behold, the time
is at hand, or is not far distant, when we shall no longer be in
subjection to our enemies, notwithstanding our many strugglings,
which have been in vain; yet I trust there remaineth an effectual
struggle to be made.
Mosiah 7:19
19 Therefore, lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your
trust in God, in that God who was the God of Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob; and also, that God who brought the children of Israel
out of the land of Egypt, and caused that they should walk
through the Red Sea on dry ground, and fed them with manna that
they might not perish in the wilderness; and many more things did
he do for them.
Mosiah 7:20
20 And again, that same God has brought our fathers out of the
land of Jerusalem, and has kept and preserved his people even
until now; and behold, it is because of our iniquities and
abominations that he has brought us into bondage.
Mosiah 7:21
21 And ye all are witnesses this day, that Zeniff, who was made
king over this people, he being over-zealous to inherit the land
of his fathers, therefore being deceived by the cunning and
craftiness of king Laman, who having entered into a treaty with
king Zeniff, and having yielded up into his hands the possessions
of a part of the land, or even the city of Lehi-Nephi, and the
city of Shilom; and the land round about--
Mosiah 7:22
22 And all this he did, for the sole purpose of bringing this
people into subjection or into bondage. And behold, we at this
time do pay tribute to the king of the Lamanites, to the amount
of one half of our corn, and our barley, and even all our grain
of every kind, and one half of the increase of our flocks and our
herds; and even one half of all we have or possess the king of
the Lamanites doth exact of us, or our lives.
Mosiah 7:23
23 And now, is not this grievous to be borne? And is not this,
our affliction, great? Now behold, how great reason we have to
mourn.
Mosiah 7:24
24 Yea, I say unto you, great are the reasons which we have to
mourn; for behold how many of our brethren have been slain, and
their blood has been spilt in vain, and all because of iniquity.
Mosiah 7:25
25 For if this people had not fallen into transgression the Lord
would not have suffered that this great evil should come upon
them. But behold, they would not hearken unto his words; but
there arose contentions among them, even so much that they did
shed blood among themselves.
Mosiah 7:26
26 And a prophet of the Lord have they slain; yea, a chosen man
of God, who told them of their wickedness and abominations, and
prophesied of many things which are to come, yea, even the coming
of Christ.
Mosiah 7:27
27 And because he said unto them that Christ was the God, the
Father of all things, and said that he should take upon him the
image of man, and it should be the image after which man was
created in the beginning; or in other words, he said that man was
created after the image of God, and that God should come down
among the children of men, and take upon him flesh and blood, and
go forth upon the face of the earth--
Mosiah 7:28
28 And now, because he said this, they did put him to death; and
many more things did they do which brought down the wrath of God
upon them. Therefore, who wondereth that they are in bondage,
and that they are smitten with sore afflictions?
Mosiah 7:29
29 For behold, the Lord hath said: I will not succor my people
in the day of their transgression; but I will hedge up their ways
that they prosper not; and their doings shall be as a stumbling
block before them.
Mosiah 7:30
30 And again, he saith: If my people shall sow filthiness they
shall reap the chaff thereof in the whirlwind; and the effect
thereof is poison.
Mosiah 7:31
31 And again he saith: If my people shall sow filthiness they
shall reap the east wind, which bringeth immediate destruction.
Mosiah 7:32
32 And now, behold, the promise of the Lord is fulfilled, and ye
are smitten and afflicted.
Mosiah 7:33
33 But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart,
and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of
mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and
pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.
Mosiah 8
Chapter 8
Mosiah 8:1
1 And it came to pass that after king Limhi had made an end of
speaking to his people, for he spake many things unto them and
only a few of them have I written in this book, he told his
people all the things concerning their brethren who were in the
land of Zarahemla.
Mosiah 8:2
2 And he caused that Ammon should stand up before the multitude,
and rehearse unto them all that had happened unto their brethren
from the time that Zeniff went up out of the land even until the
time that he himself came up out of the land.
Mosiah 8:3
3 And he also rehearsed unto them the last words which king
Benjamin had taught them, and explained them to the people of
king Limhi, so that they might understand all the words which he
spake.
Mosiah 8:4
4 And it came to pass that after he had done all this, that king
Limhi dismissed the multitude, and caused that they should return
every one unto his own house.
Mosiah 8:5
5 And it came to pass that he caused that the plates which
contained the record of his people from the time that they left
the land of Zarahemla, should be brought before Ammon, that he
might read them.
Mosiah 8:6
6 Now, as soon as Ammon had read the record, the king inquired
of him to know if he could interpret languages, and Ammon told
him that he could not.
Mosiah 8:7
7 And the king said unto him: Being grieved for the afflictions
of my people, I caused that forty and three of my people should
take a journey into the wilderness, that thereby they might find
the land of Zarahemla, that we might appeal unto our brethren to
deliver us out of bondage.
Mosiah 8:8
8 And they were lost in the wilderness for the space of many
days, yet they were diligent, and found not the land of Zarahemla
but returned to this land, having traveled in a land among many
waters, having discovered a land which was covered with bones of
men, and of beasts, and was also covered with ruins of buildings
of every kind, having discovered a land which had been peopled
with a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel.
Mosiah 8:9
9 And for a testimony that the things that they had said are
true they have brought twenty-four plates which are filled with
engravings, and they are of pure gold.
Mosiah 8:10
10 And behold, also, they have brought breastplates, which are
large, and they are of brass and of copper, and are perfectly
sound.
Mosiah 8:11
11 And again, they have brought swords, the hilts thereof have
perished, and the blades thereof were cankered with rust; and
there is no one in the land that is able to interpret the
language or the engravings that are on the plates. Therefore I
said unto thee: Canst thou translate?
Mosiah 8:12
12 And I say unto thee again: Knowest thou of any one that can
translate? For I am desirous that these records should be
translated into our language; for, perhaps, they will give us a
knowledge of a remnant of the people who have been destroyed,
from whence these records came; or, perhaps, they will give us a
knowledge of this very people who have been destroyed; and I am
desirous to know the cause of their destruction.
Mosiah 8:13
13 Now Ammon said unto him: I can assuredly tell thee, O king,
of a man that can translate the records; for he has wherewith
that he can look, and translate all records that are of ancient
date; and it is a gift from God. And the things are called
interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded,
lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish.
And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called
seer.
Mosiah 8:14
14 And behold, the king of the people who are in the land of
Zarahemla is the man that is commanded to do these things, and
who has this high gift from God.
Mosiah 8:15
15 And the king said that a seer is greater than a prophet.
Mosiah 8:16
16 And Ammon said that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also;
and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should
possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have
great power given him from God.
Mosiah 8:17
17 But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of
things which are to come, and by them shall all things be
revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and
hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known
shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known
by them which otherwise could not be known.
Mosiah 8:18
18 Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might
work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to
his fellow beings.
Mosiah 8:19
19 And now, when Ammon had made an end of speaking these words
the king rejoiced exceedingly, and gave thanks to God, saying:
Doubtless a great mystery is contained within these plates, and
these interpreters were doubtless prepared for the purpose of
unfolding all such mysteries to the children of men.
Mosiah 8:20
20 O how marvelous are the works of the Lord, and how long doth
he suffer with his people; yea, and how blind and impenetrable
are the understandings of the children of men; for they will not
seek wisdom, neither do they desire that she should rule over
them!
Mosiah 8:21
21 Yea, they are as a wild flock which fleeth from the shepherd,
and scattereth, and are driven, and are devoured by the beasts of
the forest.
Mosiah 9
Chapter 9
Mosiah 9:1
1 I, Zeniff, having been taught in all the language of the
Nephites, and having had a knowledge of the land of Nephi, or of
the land of our fathers' first inheritance, and having been sent
as a spy among the Lamanites that I might spy out their forces,
that our army might come upon them and destroy them--but when I
saw that which was good among them I was desirous that they
should not be destroyed.
Mosiah 9:2
2 Therefore, I contended with my brethren in the wilderness for
I would that our ruler should make a treaty with them; but he
being an austere and a bloodthirsty man commanded that I should
be slain; but I was rescued by the shedding of much blood; for
father fought against father, and brother against brother, until
the greater number of our army was destroyed in the wilderness;
and we returned, those of us that were spared, to the land of
Zarahemla, to relate that tale to their wives and their children.
Mosiah 9:3
3 And yet, I being over-zealous to inherit the land of our
fathers, collected as many as were desirous to go up to possess
the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness to
go up to the land; but we were smitten with famine and sore
afflictions; for we were slow to remember the Lord our God.
Mosiah 9:4
4 Nevertheless, after many days' wandering in the wilderness we
pitched our tents in the place where our brethren were slain,
which was near to the land of our fathers.
Mosiah 9:5
5 And it came to pass that I went again with four of my men into
the city, in unto the king, that I might know of the disposition
of the king, and that I might know if I might go in with my
people and possess the land in peace.
Mosiah 9:6
6 And I went in unto the king, and he covenanted with me that I
might possess the land of Lehi-Nephi, and the land of Shilom.
Mosiah 9:7
7 And he also commanded that his people should depart out of the
land, and I and my people went into the land that we might
possess it.
Mosiah 9:8
8 And we began to build buildings, and to repair the walls of
the city, yea, even the walls of the city of Lehi-Nephi, and the
city of Shilom.
Mosiah 9:9
9 And we began to till the ground, yea, even with all manner of
seeds, with seeds of corn, and of wheat, and of barley, and with
neas, and with sheum, and with seeds of all manner of fruits; and
we did begin to multiply and prosper in the land.
Mosiah 9:10
10 Now it was the cunning and the craftiness of king Laman, to
bring my people into bondage, that he yielded up the land that we
might possess it.
Mosiah 9:11
11 Therefore it came to pass, that after we had dwelt in the
land for the space of twelve years that king Laman began to grow
uneasy, lest by any means my people should wax strong in the
land, and that they could not overpower them and bring them into
bondage.
Mosiah 9:12
12 Now they were a lazy and an idolatrous people; therefore they
were desirous to bring us into bondage, that they might glut
themselves with the labors of our hands; yea, that they might
feast themselves upon the flocks of our fields.
Mosiah 9:13
13 Therefore it came to pass that king Laman began to stir up
his people that they should contend with my people; therefore
there began to be wars and contentions in the land.
Mosiah 9:14
14 For, in the thirteenth year of my reign in the land of Nephi,
away on the south of the land of Shilom, when my people were
watering and feeding their flocks, and tilling their lands, a
numerous host of Lamanites came upon them and began to slay them,
and to take off their flocks, and the corn of their fields.
Mosiah 9:15
15 Yea, and it came to pass that they fled, all that were not
overtaken, even into the city of Nephi, and did call upon me for
protection.
Mosiah 9:16
16 And it came to pass that I did arm them with bows, and with
arrows, with swords, and with cimeters, and with clubs, and with
slings, and with all manner of weapons which we could invent, and
I and my people did go forth against the Lamanites to battle.
Mosiah 9:17
17 Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle
against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to
the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our
enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance
of our fathers.
Mosiah 9:18
18 And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we
did go forth in his might; yea, we did go forth against the
Lamanites, and in one day and a night we did slay three thousand
and forty-three; we did slay them even until we had driven them
out of our land.
Mosiah 9:19
19 And I, myself, with mine own hands, did help to bury their
dead. And behold, to our great sorrow and lamentation, two
hundred and seventy-nine of our brethren were slain.
Mosiah 10
Chapter 10
Mosiah 10:1
1 And it came to pass that we again began to establish the
kingdom and we again began to possess the land in peace. And I
caused that there should be weapons of war made of every kind,
that thereby I might have weapons for my people against the time
the Lamanites should come up again to war against my people.
Mosiah 10:2
2 And I set guards round about the land, that the Lamanites
might not come upon us again unawares and destroy us; and thus I
did guard my people and my flocks, and keep them from falling
into the hands of our enemies.
Mosiah 10:3
3 And it came to pass that we did inherit the land of our
fathers for many years, yea, for the space of twenty and two
years.
Mosiah 10:4
4 And I did cause that the men should till the ground, and raise
all manner of grain and all manner of fruit of every kind.
Mosiah 10:5
5 And I did cause that the women should spin, and toil, and
work, and work all manner of fine linen, yea, and cloth of every
kind, that we might clothe our nakedness; and thus we did prosper
in the land--thus we did have continual peace in the land for the
space of twenty and two years.
Mosiah 10:6
6 And it came to pass that king Laman died, and his son began to
reign in his stead. And he began to stir his people up in
rebellion against my people; therefore they began to prepare for
war, and to come up to battle against my people.
Mosiah 10:7
7 But I had sent my spies out round about the land of Shemlon,
that I might discover their preparations, that I might guard
against them, that they might not come upon my people and destroy
them.
Mosiah 10:8
8 And it came to pass that they came up upon the north of the
land of Shilom, with their numerous hosts, men armed with bows,
and with arrows, and with swords, and with cimeters, and with
stones, and with slings; and they had their heads shaved that
they were naked; and they were girded with a leathern girdle
about their loins.
Mosiah 10:9
9 And it came to pass that I caused that the women and children
of my people should be hid in the wilderness; and I also caused
that all my old men that could bear arms, and also all my young
men that were able to bear arms, should gather themselves
together to go to battle against the Lamanites; and I did place
them in their ranks, every man according to his age.
Mosiah 10:10
10 And it came to pass that we did go up to battle against the
Lamanites; and I, even I, in my old age, did go up to battle
against the Lamanites. And it came to pass that we did go up in
the strength of the Lord to battle.
Mosiah 10:11
11 Now, the Lamanites knew nothing concerning the Lord, nor the
strength of the Lord, therefore they depended upon their own
strength. Yet they were a strong people, as to the strength of
men.
Mosiah 10:12
12 They were a wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people,
believing in the tradition of their fathers, which is
this--Believing that they were driven out of the land of
Jerusalem because of the iniquities of their fathers, and that
they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren, and they
were also wronged while crossing the sea;
Mosiah 10:13
13 And again, that they were wronged while in the land of their
first inheritance, after they had crossed the sea, and all this
because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments
of the Lord--therefore he was favored of the Lord, for the Lord
heard his prayers and answered them, and he took the lead of
their journey in the wilderness.
Mosiah 10:14
14 And his brethren were wroth with him because they understood
not the dealings of the Lord; they were also wroth with him upon
the waters because they hardened their hearts against the Lord.
Mosiah 10:15
15 And again, they were wroth with him when they had arrived in
the promised land, because they said that he had taken the ruling
of the people out of their hands; and they sought to kill him.
Mosiah 10:16
16 And again, they were wroth with him because he departed into
the wilderness as the Lord had commanded him, and took the
records which were engraven on the plates of brass, for they said
that he robbed them.
Mosiah 10:17
17 And thus they have taught their children that they should
hate them, and that they should murder them, and that they should
rob and plunder them, and do all they could to destroy them;
therefore they have an eternal hatred towards the children of
Nephi.
Mosiah 10:18
18 For this very cause has king Laman, by his cunning, and lying
craftiness, and his fair promises, deceived me, that I have
brought this my people up into this land, that they may destroy
them; yea, and we have suffered these many years in the land.
Mosiah 10:19
19 And now I, Zeniff, after having told all these things unto my
people concerning the Lamanites, I did stimulate them to go to
battle with their might, putting their trust in the Lord;
therefore, we did contend with them, face to face.
Mosiah 10:20
20 And it came to pass that we did drive them again out of our
land; and we slew them with a great slaughter, even so many that
we did not number them.
Mosiah 10:21
21 And it came to pass that we returned again to our own land,
and my people again began to tend their flocks, and to till their
ground.
Mosiah 10:22
22 And now I, being old, did confer the kingdom upon one of my
sons; therefore, I say no more. And may the Lord bless my
people. Amen.
Mosiah 11
Chapter 11
Mosiah 11:1
1 And now it came to pass that Zeniff conferred the kingdom upon
Noah, one of his sons; therefore Noah began to reign in his
stead; and he did not walk in the ways of his father.
Mosiah 11:2
2 For behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but he
did walk after the desires of his own heart. And he had many
wives and concubines. And he did cause his people to commit sin,
and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea,
and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness.
Mosiah 11:3
3 And he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a
fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of
their ziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their
iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a fifth part
of all their grain.
Mosiah 11:4
4 And all this did he take to support himself, and his wives and
his concubines; and also his priests, and their wives and their
concubines; thus he had changed the affairs of the kingdom.
Mosiah 11:5
5 For he put down all the priests that had been consecrated by
his father, and consecrated new ones in their stead, such as were
lifted up in the pride of their hearts.
Mosiah 11:6
6 Yea, and thus they were supported in their laziness, and in
their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which king
Noah had put upon his people; thus did the people labor
exceedingly to support iniquity.
Mosiah 11:7
7 Yea, and they also became idolatrous, because they were
deceived by the vain and flattering words of the king and
priests; for they did speak flattering things unto them.
Mosiah 11:8
8 And it came to pass that king Noah built many elegant and
spacious buildings; and he ornamented them with fine work of
wood, and of all manner of precious things, of gold, and of
silver, and of iron, and of brass, and of ziff, and of copper;
Mosiah 11:9
9 And he also built him a spacious palace, and a throne in the
midst thereof, all of which was of fine wood and was ornamented
with gold and silver and with precious things.
Mosiah 11:10
10 And he also caused that his workmen should work all manner of
fine work within the walls of the temple, of fine wood, and of
copper, and of brass.
Mosiah 11:11
11 And the seats which were set apart for the high priests,
which were above all the other seats, he did ornament with pure
gold; and he caused a breastwork to be built before them, that
they might rest their bodies and their arms upon while they
should speak lying and vain words to his people.
Mosiah 11:12
12 And it came to pass that he built a tower near the temple;
yea, a very high tower, even so high that he could stand upon the
top thereof and overlook the land of Shilom, and also the land of
Shemlon, which was possessed by the Lamanites; and he could even
look over all the land round about.
Mosiah 11:13
13 And it came to pass that he caused many buildings to be built
in the land Shilom; and he caused a great tower to be built on
the hill north of the land Shilom, which had been a resort for
the children of Nephi at the time they fled out of the land; and
thus he did do with the riches which he obtained by the taxation
of his people.
Mosiah 11:14
14 And it came to pass that he placed his heart upon his riches,
and he spent his time in riotous living with his wives and his
concubines; and so did also his priests spend their time with
harlots.
Mosiah 11:15
15 And it came to pass that he planted vineyards round about in
the land; and he built wine-presses, and made wine in abundance;
and therefore he became a wine-bibber, and also his people.
Mosiah 11:16
16 And it came to pass that the Lamanites began to come in upon
his people, upon small numbers, and to slay them in their fields,
and while they were tending their flocks.
Mosiah 11:17
17 And king Noah sent guards round about the land to keep them
off; but he did not send a sufficient number, and the Lamanites
came upon them and killed them, and drove many of their flocks
out of the land; thus the Lamanites began to destroy them, and to
exercise their hatred upon them.
Mosiah 11:18
18 And it came to pass that king Noah sent his armies against
them, and they were driven back, or they drove them back for a
time; therefore, they returned rejoicing in their spoil.
Mosiah 11:19
19 And now, because of this great victory they were lifted up in
the pride of their hearts; they did boast in their own strength,
saying that their fifty could stand against thousands of the
Lamanites; and thus they did boast, and did delight in blood, and
the shedding of the blood of their brethren, and this because of
the wickedness of their king and priests.
Mosiah 11:20
20 And it came to pass that there was a man among them whose
name was Abinadi; and he went forth among them, and began to
prophesy, saying: Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he
commanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus
saith the Lord--Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their
abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms; and
except they repent I will visit them in mine anger.
Mosiah 11:21
21 And except they repent and turn to the Lord their God,
behold, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies; yea,
and they shall be brought into bondage; and they shall be
afflicted by the hand of their enemies.
Mosiah 11:22
22 And it shall come to pass that they shall know that I am the
Lord their God, and am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of
my people.
Mosiah 11:23
23 And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and
turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into bondage;
and none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord the Almighty
God.
Mosiah 11:24
24 Yea, and it shall come to pass that when they shall cry unto
me I will be slow to hear their cries; yea, and I will suffer
them that they be smitten by their enemies.
Mosiah 11:25
25 And except they repent in sackcloth and ashes, and cry
mightily to the Lord their God, I will not hear their prayers,
neither will I deliver them out of their afflictions; and thus
saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me.
Mosiah 11:26
26 Now it came to pass that when Abinadi had spoken these words
unto them they were wroth with him, and sought to take away his
life; but the Lord delivered him out of their hands.
Mosiah 11:27
27 Now when king Noah had heard of the words which Abinadi had
spoken unto the people, he was also wroth; and he said: Who is
Abinadi, that I and my people should be judged of him, or who is
the Lord, that shall bring upon my people such great affliction?
Mosiah 11:28
28 I command you to bring Abinadi hither, that I may slay him,
for he has said these things that he might stir up my people to
anger one with another, and to raise contentions among my people;
therefore I will slay him.
Mosiah 11:29
29 Now the eyes of the people were blinded; therefore they
hardened their hearts against the words of Abinadi, and they
sought from that time forward to take him. And king Noah
hardened his heart against the word of the Lord, and he did not
repent of his evil doings.
Mosiah 12
Chapter 12
Mosiah 12:1
1 And it came to pass that after the space of two years that
Abinadi came among them in disguise, that they knew him not, and
began to prophesy among them, saying: Thus has the Lord commanded
me, saying--Abinadi, go and prophesy unto this my people, for
they have hardened their hearts against my words; they have
repented not of their evil doings; therefore, I will visit them
in my anger, yea, in my fierce anger will I visit them in their
iniquities and abominations.
Mosiah 12:2
2 Yea, wo be unto this generation! And the Lord said unto me:
Stretch forth thy hand and prophesy saying: Thus saith the Lord,
it shall come to pass that this generation, because of their
iniquities, shall be brought into bondage, and shall be smitten
on the cheek; yea, and shall be driven by men, and shall be
slain; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, yea, and the
wild beasts, shall devour their flesh.
Mosiah 12:3
3 And it shall come to pass that the life of king Noah shall be
valued even as a garment in a hot furnace; for he shall know that
I am the Lord.
Mosiah 12:4
4 And it shall come to pass that I will smite this my people
with sore afflictions, yea, with famine and with pestilence; and
I will cause that they shall howl all the day long.
Mosiah 12:5
5 Yea, and I will cause that they shall have burdens lashed upon
their backs; and they shall be driven before like a dumb ass.
Mosiah 12:6
6 And it shall come to pass that I will send forth hail among
them, and it shall smite them; and they shall also be smitten
with the east wind; and insects shall pester their land also, and
devour their grain.
Mosiah 12:7
7 And they shall be smitten with a great pestilence--and all
this will I do because of their iniquities and abominations.
Mosiah 12:8
8 And it shall come to pass that except they repent I will
utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth; yet they
shall leave a record behind them, and I will preserve them for
other nations which shall possess the land; yea, even this will I
do that I may discover the abominations of this people to other
nations. And many things did Abinadi prophesy against this
people.
Mosiah 12:9
9 And it came to pass that they were angry with him; and they
took him and carried him bound before the king, and said unto the
king: Behold, we have brought a man before thee who has
prophesied evil concerning thy people, and saith that God will
destroy them.
Mosiah 12:10
10 And he also prophesieth evil concerning thy life, and saith
that thy life shall be as a garment in a furnace of fire.
Mosiah 12:11
11 And again, he saith that thou shalt be as a stalk, even as a
dry stalk of the field, which is run over by the beasts and
trodden under foot.
Mosiah 12:12
12 And again, he saith thou shalt be as the blossoms of a
thistle, which, when it is fully ripe, if the wind bloweth, it is
driven forth upon the face of the land. And he pretendeth the
Lord hath spoken it. And he saith all this shall come upon thee
except thou repent, and this because of thine iniquities.
Mosiah 12:13
13 And now, O king, what great evil hast thou done, or what
great sins have thy people committed, that we should be condemned
of God or judged of this man?
Mosiah 12:14
14 And now, O king, behold, we are guiltless, and thou, O king,
hast not sinned; therefore, this man has lied concerning you, and
he has prophesied in vain.
Mosiah 12:15
15 And behold, we are strong, we shall not come into bondage, or
be taken captive by our enemies; yea, and thou hast prospered in
the land, and thou shalt also prosper.
Mosiah 12:16
16 Behold, here is the man, we deliver him into thy hands; thou
mayest do with him as seemeth thee good.
Mosiah 12:17
17 And it came to pass that king Noah caused that Abinadi should
be cast into prison; and he commanded that the priests should
gather themselves together that he might hold a council with them
what he should do with him.
Mosiah 12:18
18 And it came to pass that they said unto the king: Bring him
hither that we may question him; and the king commanded that he
should be brought before them.
Mosiah 12:19
19 And they began to question him, that they might cross him,
that thereby they might have wherewith to accuse him; but he
answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions, yea, to
their astonishment; for he did withstand them in all their
questions, and did confound them in all their words.
Mosiah 12:20
20 And it came to pass that one of them said unto him: What
meaneth the words which are written, and which have been taught
by our fathers, saying:
Mosiah 12:21
21 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that
bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good
tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion,
Thy God reigneth;
Mosiah 12:22
22 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together
shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord
shall bring again Zion;
Mosiah 12:23
23 Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste places of
Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath
redeemed Jerusalem;
Mosiah 12:24
24 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the
nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of
our God?
Mosiah 12:25
25 And now Abinadi said unto them: Are you priests, and pretend
to teach this people, and to understand the spirit of
prophesying, and yet desire to know of me what these things mean?
Mosiah 12:26
26 I say unto you, wo be unto you for perverting the ways of the
Lord! For if ye understand these things ye have not taught them;
therefore, ye have perverted the ways of the Lord.
Mosiah 12:27
27 Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore,
ye have not been wise. Therefore, what teach ye this people?
Mosiah 12:28
28 And they said: We teach the law of Moses.
Mosiah 12:29
29 And again he said unto them: If ye teach the law of Moses why
do ye not keep it? Why do ye set your hearts upon riches? Why
do ye commit whoredoms and spend your strength with harlots, yea,
and cause this people to commit sin, that the Lord has cause to
send me to prophesy against this people, yea, even a great evil
against this people?
Mosiah 12:30
30 Know ye not that I speak the truth? Yea, ye know that I
speak the truth; and you ought to tremble before God.
Mosiah 12:31
31 And it shall come to pass that ye shall be smitten for your
iniquities, for ye have said that ye teach the law of Moses. And
what know ye concerning the law of Moses? Doth salvation come by
the law of Moses? What say ye?
Mosiah 12:32
32 And they answered and said that salvation did come by the law
of Moses.
Mosiah 12:33
33 But now Abinadi said unto them: I know if ye keep the
commandments of God ye shall be saved; yea, if ye keep the
commandments which the Lord delivered unto Moses in the mount of
Sinai, saying:
Mosiah 12:34
34 I am the Lord thy God, who hath brought thee out of the land
of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Mosiah 12:35
35 Thou shalt have no other God before me.
Mosiah 12:36
36 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any
likeness of any thing in heaven above, or things which are in the
earth beneath.
Mosiah 12:37
37 Now Abinadi said unto them, Have ye done all this? I say
unto you, Nay, ye have not. And have ye taught this people that
they should do all these things? I say unto you, Nay, ye have
not.
Mosiah 13
Chapter 13
Mosiah 13:1
1 And now when the king had heard these words, he said unto his
priests: Away with this fellow, and slay him; for what have we to
do with him, for he is mad.
Mosiah 13:2
2 And they stood forth and attempted to lay their hands on him;
but he withstood them, and said unto them:
Mosiah 13:3
3 Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands
upon me, for I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent
me to deliver; neither have I told you that which ye requested
that I should tell; therefore, God will not suffer that I shall
be destroyed at this time.
Mosiah 13:4
4 But I must fulfil the commandments wherewith God has commanded
me; and because I have told you the truth ye are angry with me.
And again, because I have spoken the word of God ye have judged
me that I am mad.
Mosiah 13:5
5 Now it came to pass after Abinadi had spoken these words that
the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the
Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and his face shone with
exceeding luster, even as Moses' did while in the mount of Sinai,
while speaking with the Lord.
Mosiah 13:6
6 And he spake with power and authority from God; and he
continued his words, saying:
Mosiah 13:7
7 Ye see that ye have not power to slay me, therefore I finish
my message. Yea, and I perceive that it cuts you to your hearts
because I tell you the truth concerning your iniquities.
Mosiah 13:8
8 Yea, and my words fill you with wonder and amazement, and with
anger.
Mosiah 13:9
9 But I finish my message; and then it matters not whither I go,
if it so be that I am saved.
Mosiah 13:10
10 But this much I tell you, what you do with me, after this,
shall be as a type and a shadow of things which are to come.
Mosiah 13:11
11 And now I read unto you the remainder of the commandments of
God, for I perceive that they are not written in your hearts; I
perceive that ye have studied and taught iniquity the most part
of your lives.
Mosiah 13:12
12 And now, ye remember that I said unto you: Thou shall not
make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of things which
are in heaven above, or which are in the earth beneath, or which
are in the water under the earth.
Mosiah 13:13
13 And again: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor
serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and
fourth generations of them that hate me;
Mosiah 13:14
14 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and
keep my commandments.
Mosiah 13:15
15 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for
the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in
vain.
Mosiah 13:16
16 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Mosiah 13:17
17 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work;
Mosiah 13:18
18 But the seventh day, the sabbath of the Lord thy God, thou
shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy
man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy
stranger that is within thy gates;
Mosiah 13:19
19 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea,
and all that in them is; wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath
day, and hallowed it.
Mosiah 13:20
20 Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long
upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Mosiah 13:21
21 Thou shalt not kill.
Mosiah 13:22
22 Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal.
Mosiah 13:23
23 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Mosiah 13:24
24 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not
covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his
maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy
neighbor's.
Mosiah 13:25
25 And it came to pass that after Abinadi had made an end of
these sayings that he said unto them: Have ye taught this people
that they should observe to do all these things for to keep these
commandments?
Mosiah 13:26
26 I say unto you, Nay; for if ye had, the Lord would not have
caused me to come forth and to prophesy evil concerning this
people.
Mosiah 13:27
27 And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of
Moses. I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep
the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall
come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses.
Mosiah 13:28
28 And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by
the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God
himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people,
that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of
Moses.
Mosiah 13:29
29 And now I say unto you that it was expedient that there
should be a law given to the children of Israel, yea, even a very
strict law; for they were a stiffnecked people, quick to do
iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord their God;
Mosiah 13:30
30 Therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law of
performances and of ordinances, a law which they were to observe
strictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God and
their duty towards him.
Mosiah 13:31
31 But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types
of things to come.
Mosiah 13:32
32 And now, did they understand the law? I say unto you, Nay,
they did not all understand the law; and this because of the
hardness of their hearts; for they understood not that there
could not any man be saved except it were through the redemption
of God.
Mosiah 13:33
33 For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the
coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people?
Yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the
world began--have they not spoken more or less concerning these
things?
Mosiah 13:34
34 Have they not said that God himself should come down among
the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go
forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth?
Mosiah 13:35
35 Yea, and have they not said also that he should bring to pass
the resurrection of the dead, and that he, himself, should be
oppressed and afflicted?
Mosiah 14
Chapter 14
Mosiah 14:1
1 Yea, even doth not Isaiah say: Who hath believed our report,
and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
Mosiah 14:2
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a
root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when
we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Mosiah 14:3
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him;
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Mosiah 14:4
4 Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet
we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Mosiah 14:5
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for
our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and
with his stripes we are healed.
Mosiah 14:6
6 All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one
to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of
us all.
Mosiah 14:7
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his
mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep
before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth.
Mosiah 14:8
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall
declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of
the living; for the transgressions of my people was he stricken.
Mosiah 14:9
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in
his death; because he had done no evil, neither was any deceit in
his mouth.
Mosiah 14:10
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to
grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall
see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the
Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Mosiah 14:11
11 He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he
shall bear their iniquities.
Mosiah 14:12
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he
shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured
out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the
transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and made
intercession for the transgressors.
Mosiah 15
Chapter 15
Mosiah 15:1
1 And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should
understand that God himself shall come down among the children of
men, and shall redeem his people.
Mosiah 15:2
2 And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of
God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father,
being the Father and the Son--
Mosiah 15:3
3 The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and
the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son--
Mosiah 15:4
4 And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven
and of earth.
Mosiah 15:5
5 And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son
to the Father, being one God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth
not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and
scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people.
Mosiah 15:6
6 And after all this, after working many mighty miracles among
the children of men, he shall be led, yea, even as Isaiah said,
as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he opened not his
mouth.
Mosiah 15:7
7 Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh
becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being
swallowed up in the will of the Father.
Mosiah 15:8
8 And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the
victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for
the children of men--
Mosiah 15:9
9 Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being
filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing
betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken
upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having
redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.
Mosiah 15:10
10 And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation?
Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an
offering for sin he shall see his seed. And now what say ye?
And who shall be his seed?
Mosiah 15:11
11 Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of
the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied
concerning the coming of the Lord--I say unto you, that all those
who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord
would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for
a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his
seed, or they are heirs of the kingdom of God.
Mosiah 15:12
12 For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they
for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions.
And now, are they not his seed?
Mosiah 15:13
13 Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his
mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean
all the holy prophets ever since the world began? I say unto you
that they are his seed.
Mosiah 15:14
14 And these are they who have published peace, who have brought
good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto
Zion: Thy God reigneth!
Mosiah 15:15
15 And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!
Mosiah 15:16
16 And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of
those that are still publishing peace!
Mosiah 15:17
17 And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of
those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time
henceforth and forever!
Mosiah 15:18
18 And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how
beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth
good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord,
who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation
unto his people;
Mosiah 15:19
19 For were it not for the redemption which he hath made for his
people, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, I
say unto you, were it not for this, all mankind must have
perished.
Mosiah 15:20
20 But behold, the bands of death shall be broken, and the Son
reigneth, and hath power over the dead; therefore, he bringeth to
pass the resurrection of the dead.
Mosiah 15:21
21 And there cometh a resurrection, even a first resurrection;
yea, even a resurrection of those that have been, and who are,
and who shall be, even until the resurrection of Christ--for so
shall he be called.
Mosiah 15:22
22 And now, the resurrection of all the prophets, and all those
that have believed in their words, or all those that have kept
the commandments of God, shall come forth in the first
resurrection; therefore, they are the first resurrection.
Mosiah 15:23
23 They are raised to dwell with God who has redeemed them; thus
they have eternal life through Christ, who has broken the bands
of death.
Mosiah 15:24
24 And these are those who have part in the first resurrection;
and these are they that have died before Christ came, in their
ignorance, not having salvation declared unto them. And thus the
Lord bringeth about the restoration of these; and they have a
part in the first resurrection, or have eternal life, being
redeemed by the Lord.
Mosiah 15:25
25 And little children also have eternal life.
Mosiah 15:26
26 But behold, and fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought to
tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him
and die in their sins; yea, even all those that have perished in
their sins ever since the world began, that have wilfully
rebelled against God, that have known the commandments of God,
and would not keep them; these are they that have no part in the
first resurrection.
Mosiah 15:27
27 Therefore ought ye not to tremble? For salvation cometh to
none such; for the Lord hath redeemed none such; yea, neither can
the Lord redeem such; for he cannot deny himself; for he cannot
deny justice when it has its claim.
Mosiah 15:28
28 And now I say unto you that the time shall come that the
salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people.
Mosiah 15:29
29 Yea, Lord, thy watchmen shall lift up their voice; with the
voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye,
when the Lord shall bring again Zion.
Mosiah 15:30
30 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of
Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath
redeemed Jerusalem.
Mosiah 15:31
31 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the
nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of
our God.
Mosiah 16
Chapter 16
Mosiah 16:1
1 And now, it came to pass that after Abinadi had spoken these
words he stretched forth his hand and said: The time shall come
when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall
confess before God that his judgments are just.
Mosiah 16:2
2 And then shall the wicked be cast out, and they shall have
cause to howl, and weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth; and
this because they would not hearken unto the voice of the Lord;
therefore the Lord redeemeth them not.
Mosiah 16:3
3 For they are carnal and devilish, and the devil has power over
them; yea, even that old serpent that did beguile our first
parents, which was the cause of their fall; which was the cause
of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual, devilish, knowing evil
from good, subjecting themselves to the devil.
Mosiah 16:4
4 Thus all mankind were lost; and behold, they would have been
endlessly lost were it not that God redeemed his people from
their lost and fallen state.
Mosiah 16:5
5 But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature,
and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God,
remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over
him. Therefore, he is as though there was no redemption made,
being an enemy to God; and also is the devil an enemy to God.
Mosiah 16:6
6 And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of
things to come as though they had already come, there could have
been no redemption.
Mosiah 16:7
7 And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the
bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that
death should have no sting, there could have been no
resurrection.
Mosiah 16:8
8 But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no
victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.
Mosiah 16:9
9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that
is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life
which is endless, that there can be no more death.
Mosiah 16:10
10 Even this mortal shall put on immortality, and this
corruption shall put on incorruption, and shall be brought to
stand before the bar of God, to be judged of him according to
their works whether they be good or whether they be evil--
Mosiah 16:11
11 If they be good, to the resurrection of endless life and
happiness; and if they be evil, to the resurrection of endless
damnation, being delivered up to the devil, who hath subjected
them, which is damnation--
Mosiah 16:12
12 Having gone according to their own carnal wills and desires;
having never called upon the Lord while the arms of mercy were
extended towards them; for the arms of mercy were extended
towards them, and they would not; they being warned of their
iniquities and yet they would not depart from them; and they were
commanded to repent and yet they would not repent.
Mosiah 16:13
13 And now, ought ye not to tremble and repent of your sins, and
remember that only in and through Christ ye can be saved?
Mosiah 16:14
14 Therefore, if ye teach the law of Moses, also teach that it
is a shadow of those things which are to come--
Mosiah 16:15
15 Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord,
who is the very Eternal Father. Amen.
Mosiah 17
Chapter 17
Mosiah 17:1
1 And now it came to pass that when Abinadi had finished these
sayings, that the king commanded that the priests should take him
and cause that he should be put to death.
Mosiah 17:2
2 But there was one among them whose name was Alma, he also
being a descendant of Nephi. And he was a young man, and he
believed the words which Abinadi had spoken, for he knew
concerning the iniquity which Abinadi has testified against them;
therefore he began to plead with the king that he would not be
angry with Abinadi, but suffer that he might depart in peace.
Mosiah 17:3
3 But the king was more wroth, and caused that Alma should be
cast out from among them, and sent his servants after him that
they might slay him.
Mosiah 17:4
4 But he fled from before them and hid himself that they found
him not. And he being concealed for many days did write all the
words which Abinadi had spoken.
Mosiah 17:5
5 And it came to pass that the king caused that his guards
should surround Abinadi and take him; and they bound him and cast
him into prison.
Mosiah 17:6
6 And after three days, having counseled with his priests, he
caused that he should again be brought before him.
Mosiah 17:7
7 And he said unto him: Abinadi, we have found an accusation
against thee, and thou art worthy of death.
Mosiah 17:8
8 For thou hast said that God himself should come down among the
children of men; and now, for this cause thou shalt be put to
death unless thou wilt recall all the words which thou hast
spoken evil concerning me and my people.
Mosiah 17:9
9 Now Abinadi said unto him: I say unto you, I will not recall
the words which I have spoken unto you concerning this people,
for they are true; and that ye may know of their surety I have
suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands.
Mosiah 17:10
10 Yea, and I will suffer even until death, and I will not
recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you.
And if ye slay me ye will shed innocent blood, and this shall
also stand as a testimony against you at the last day.
Mosiah 17:11
11 And now king Noah was about to release him, for he feared his
word; for he feared that the judgments of God would come upon
him.
Mosiah 17:12
12 But the priests lifted up their voices against him, and began
to accuse him, saying: He has reviled the king. Therefore the
king was stirred up in anger against him, and he delivered him up
that he might be slain.
Mosiah 17:13
13 And it came to pass that they took him and bound him, and
scourged his skin with faggots, yea, even unto death.
Mosiah 17:14
14 And now when the flames began to scorch him, he cried unto
them, saying:
Mosiah 17:15
15 Behold, even as ye have done unto me, so shall it come to
pass that thy seed shall cause that many shall suffer the pains
that I do suffer, even the pains of death by fire; and this
because they believe in the salvation of the Lord their God.
Mosiah 17:16
16 And it will come to pass that ye shall be afflicted with all
manner of diseases because of your iniquities.
Mosiah 17:17
17 Yea, and ye shall be smitten on every hand, and shall be
driven and scattered to and fro, even as a wild flock is driven
by wild and ferocious beasts.
Mosiah 17:18
18 And in that day ye shall be hunted, and ye shall be taken by
the hand of your enemies, and then ye shall suffer, as I suffer,
the pains of death by fire.
Mosiah 17:19
19 Thus God executeth vengeance upon those that destroy his
people. O God, receive my soul.
Mosiah 17:20
20 And now, when Abinadi had said these words, he fell, having
suffered death by fire; yea, having been put to death because he
would not deny the commandments of God, having sealed the truth
of his words by his death.
Mosiah 18
Chapter 18
Mosiah 18:1
1 And now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the
servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and
went about privately among the people, and began to teach the
words of Abinadi--
Mosiah 18:2
2 Yea, concerning that which was to come, and also concerning
the resurrection of the dead, and the redemption of the people,
which was to be brought to pass through the power, and
sufferings, and death of Christ, and his resurrection and
ascension into heaven.
Mosiah 18:3
3 And as many as would hear his word he did teach. And he
taught them privately, that it might not come to the knowledge of
the king. And many did believe his words.
Mosiah 18:4
4 And it came to pass that as many as did believe him did go
forth to a place which was called Mormon, having received its
name from the king, being in the borders of the land having been
infested, by times or at seasons, by wild beasts.
Mosiah 18:5
5 Now, there was in Mormon a fountain of pure water, and Alma
resorted thither, there being near the water a thicket of small
trees, where he did hide himself in the daytime from the searches
of the king.
Mosiah 18:6
6 And it came to pass that as many as believed him went thither
to hear his words.
Mosiah 18:7
7 And it came to pass after many days there were a goodly number
gathered together at the place of Mormon, to hear the words of
Alma. Yea, all were gathered together that believed on his word,
to hear him. And he did teach them, and did preach unto them
repentance, and redemption, and faith on the Lord.
Mosiah 18:8
8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are
the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye
are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his
people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they
may be light;
Mosiah 18:9
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and
comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as
witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all
places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be
redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first
resurrection, that ye may have eternal life--
Mosiah 18:10
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts,
what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as
a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with
him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he
may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?
Mosiah 18:11
11 And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped
their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our
hearts.
Mosiah 18:12
12 And now it came to pass that Alma took Helam, he being one of
the first, and went and stood forth in the water, and cried,
saying: O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that he may
do this work with holiness of heart.
Mosiah 18:13
13 And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was
upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority
from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a
covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body;
and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he
grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ,
whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world.
Mosiah 18:14
14 And after Alma had said these words, both Alma and Helam were
buried in the water; and they arose and came forth out of the
water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit.
Mosiah 18:15
15 And again, Alma took another, and went forth a second time
into the water, and baptized him according to the first, only he
did not bury himself again in the water.
Mosiah 18:16
16 And after this manner he did baptize every one that went
forth to the place of Mormon; and they were in number about two
hundred and four souls; yea, and they were baptized in the waters
of Mormon, and were filled with the grace of God.
Mosiah 18:17
17 And they were called the church of God, or the church of
Christ, from that time forward. And it came to pass that
whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was
added to his church.
Mosiah 18:18
18 And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God,
ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number
did he ordain to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning
the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
Mosiah 18:19
19 And he commanded them that they should teach nothing save it
were the things which he had taught, and which had been spoken by
the mouth of the holy prophets.
Mosiah 18:20
20 Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing
save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed
his people.
Mosiah 18:21
21 And he commanded them that there should be no contention one
with another, but that they should look forward with one eye,
having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit
together in unity and in love one towards another.
Mosiah 18:22
22 And thus he commanded them to preach. And thus they became
the children of God.
Mosiah 18:23
23 And he commanded them that they should observe the sabbath
day, and keep it holy, and also every day they should give thanks
to the Lord their God.
Mosiah 18:24
24 And he also commanded them that the priests whom he had
ordained should labor with their own hands for their support.
Mosiah 18:25
25 And there was one day in every week that was set apart that
they should gather themselves together to teach the people, and
to worship the Lord their God, and also, as often as it was in
their power, to assemble themselves together.
Mosiah 18:26
26 And the priests were not to depend upon the people for their
support; but for their labor they were to receive the grace of
God, that they might wax strong in the Spirit, having the
knowledge of God, that they might teach with power and authority
from God.
Mosiah 18:27
27 And again Alma commanded that the people of the church should
impart of their substance, every one according to that which he
had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly;
and of him that had but little, but little should be required;
and to him that had not should be given.
Mosiah 18:28
28 And thus they should impart of their substance of their own
free will and good desires towards God, and to those priests that
stood in need, yea, and to every needy, naked soul.
Mosiah 18:29
29 And this he said unto them, having been commanded of God; and
they did walk uprightly before God, imparting to one another both
temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their
wants.
Mosiah 18:30
30 And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon,
yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the
waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon,
the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them
who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how
blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever.
Mosiah 18:31
31 And these things were done in the borders of the land, that
they might not come to the knowledge of the king.
Mosiah 18:32
32 But behold, it came to pass that the king, having discovered
a movement among the people, sent his servants to watch them.
Therefore on the day that they were assembling themselves
together to hear the word of the Lord they were discovered unto
the king.
Mosiah 18:33
33 And now the king said that Alma was stirring up the people to
rebellion against him; therefore he sent his army to destroy
them.
Mosiah 18:34
34 And it came to pass that Alma and the people of the Lord were
apprised of the coming of the king's army; therefore they took
their tents and their families and departed into the wilderness.
Mosiah 18:35
35 And they were in number about four hundred and fifty souls.
Mosiah 19
Chapter 19
Mosiah 19:1
1 And it came to pass that the army of the king returned, having
searched in vain for the people of the Lord.
Mosiah 19:2
2 And now behold, the forces of the king were small, having been
reduced, and there began to be a division among the remainder of
the people.
Mosiah 19:3
3 And the lesser part began to breathe out threatenings against
the king, and there began to be a great contention among them.
Mosiah 19:4
4 And now there was a man among them whose name was Gideon, and
he being a strong man and an enemy to the king, therefore he drew
his sword, and swore in his wrath that he would slay the king.
Mosiah 19:5
5 And it came to pass that he fought with the king; and when the
king saw that he was about to overpower him, he fled and ran and
got upon the tower which was near the temple.
Mosiah 19:6
6 And Gideon pursued after him and was about to get upon the
tower to slay the king, and the king cast his eyes round about
towards the land of Shemlon, and behold, the army of the
Lamanites were within the borders of the land.
Mosiah 19:7
7 And now the king cried out in the anguish of his soul, saying:
Gideon, spare me, for the Lamanites are upon us, and they will
destroy us; yea, they will destroy my people.
Mosiah 19:8
8 And now the king was not so much concerned about his people as
he was about his own life; nevertheless, Gideon did spare his
life.
Mosiah 19:9
9 And the king commanded the people that they should flee before
the Lamanites, and he himself did go before them, and they did
flee into the wilderness, with their women and their children.
Mosiah 19:10
10 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did pursue them, and
did overtake them, and began to slay them.
Mosiah 19:11
11 Now it came to pass that the king commanded them that all the
men should leave their wives and their children, and flee before
the Lamanites.
Mosiah 19:12
12 Now there were many that would not leave them, but had rather
stay and perish with them. And the rest left their wives and
their children and fled.
Mosiah 19:13
13 And it came to pass that those who tarried with their wives
and their children caused that their fair daughters should stand
forth and plead with the Lamanites that they would not slay them.
Mosiah 19:14
14 And it came to pass that the Lamanites had compassion on
them, for they were charmed with the beauty of their women.
Mosiah 19:15
15 Therefore the Lamanites did spare their lives, and took them
captives and carried them back to the land of Nephi, and granted
unto them that they might possess the land, under the conditions
that they would deliver up king Noah into the hands of the
Lamanites, and deliver up their property, even one half of all
they possessed, one half of their gold, and their silver, and all
their precious things, and thus they should pay tribute to the
king of the Lamanites from year to year.
Mosiah 19:16
16 And now there was one of the sons of the king among those
that were taken captive, whose name was Limhi.
Mosiah 19:17
17 And now Limhi was desirous that his father should not be
destroyed; nevertheless, Limhi was not ignorant of the iniquities
of his father, he himself being a just man.
Mosiah 19:18
18 And it came to pass that Gideon sent men into the wilderness
secretly, to search for the king and those that were with him.
And it came to pass that they met the people in the wilderness,
all save the king and his priests.
Mosiah 19:19
19 Now they had sworn in their hearts that they would return to
the land of Nephi, and if their wives and their children were
slain, and also those that had tarried with them, that they would
seek revenge, and also perish with them.
Mosiah 19:20
20 And the king commanded them that they should not return; and
they were angry with the king, and caused that he should suffer,
even unto death by fire.
Mosiah 19:21
21 And they were about to take the priests also and put them to
death, and they fled before them.
Mosiah 19:22
22 And it came to pass that they were about to return to the
land of Nephi, and they met the men of Gideon. And the men of
Gideon told them of all that had happened to their wives and
their children; and that the Lamanites had granted unto them that
they might possess the land by paying a tribute to the Lamanites
of one half of all they possessed.
Mosiah 19:23
23 And the people told the men of Gideon that they had slain the
king, and his priests had fled from them farther into the
wilderness.
Mosiah 19:24
24 And it came to pass that after they had ended the ceremony,
that they returned to the land of Nephi, rejoicing, because their
wives and their children were not slain; and they told Gideon
what they had done to the king.
Mosiah 19:25
25 And it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites made an
oath unto them, that his people should not slay them.
Mosiah 19:26
26 And also Limhi, being the son of the king, having the kingdom
conferred upon him by the people, made oath unto the king of the
Lamanites that his people should pay tribute unto him, even one
half of all they possessed.
Mosiah 19:27
27 And it came to pass that Limhi began to establish the kingdom
and to establish peace among his people.
Mosiah 19:28
28 And the king of the Lamanites set guards round about the
land, that he might keep the people of Limhi in the land, that
they might not depart into the wilderness; and he did support his
guards out of the tribute which he did receive from the Nephites.
Mosiah 19:29
29 And now king Limhi did have continual peace in his kingdom
for the space of two years, that the Lamanites did not molest
them nor seek to destroy them.
Mosiah 20
Chapter 20
Mosiah 20:1
1 Now there was a place in Shemlon where the daughters of the
Lamanites did gather themselves together to sing, and to dance,
and to make themselves merry.
Mosiah 20:2
2 And it came to pass that there was one day a small number of
them gathered together to sing and to dance.
Mosiah 20:3
3 And now the priests of king Noah, being ashamed to return to
the city of Nephi, yea, and also fearing that the people would
slay them, therefore they durst not return to their wives and
their children.
Mosiah 20:4
4 And having tarried in the wilderness, and having discovered
the daughters of the Lamanites, they laid and watched them;
Mosiah 20:5
5 And when there were but few of them gathered together to
dance, they came forth out of their secret places and took them
and carried them into the wilderness; yea, twenty and four of the
daughters of the Lamanites they carried into the wilderness.
Mosiah 20:6
6 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites found that their
daughters had been missing, they were angry with the people of
Limhi, for they thought it was the people of Limhi.
Mosiah 20:7
7 Therefore they sent their armies forth; yea, even the king
himself went before his people; and they went up to the land of
Nephi to destroy the people of Limhi.
Mosiah 20:8
8 And now Limhi had discovered them from the tower, even all
their preparations for war did he discover; therefore he gathered
his people together, and laid wait for them in the fields and in
the forests.
Mosiah 20:9
9 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites had come up, that
the people of Limhi began to fall upon them from their waiting
places, and began to slay them.
Mosiah 20:10
10 And it came to pass that the battle became exceedingly sore,
for they fought like lions for their prey.
Mosiah 20:11
11 And it came to pass that the people of Limhi began to drive
the Lamanites before them; yet they were not half so numerous as
the Lamanites. But they fought for their lives, and for their
wives, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves
and like dragons did they fight.
Mosiah 20:12
12 And it came to pass that they found the king of the Lamanites
among the number of their dead; yet he was not dead, having been
wounded and left upon the ground, so speedy was the flight of his
people.
Mosiah 20:13
13 And they took him and bound up his wounds, and brought him
before Limhi, and said: Behold, here is the king of the
Lamanites; he having received a wound has fallen among their
dead, and they have left him; and behold, we have brought him
before you; and now let us slay him
Mosiah 20:14
14 But Limhi said unto them: Ye shall not slay him, but bring
him hither that I may see him. And they brought him. And Limhi
said unto him: What cause have ye to come up to war against my
people? Behold, my people have not broken the oath that I made
unto you; therefore, why should ye break the oath which ye made
unto my people?
Mosiah 20:15
15 And now the king said: I have broken the oath because thy
people did carry away the daughters of my people; therefore, in
my anger I did cause my people to come up to war against thy
people.
Mosiah 20:16
16 And now Limhi had heard nothing concerning this matter;
therefore he said: I will search among my people and whosoever
has done this thing shall perish. Therefore he caused a search
to be made among his people.
Mosiah 20:17
17 Now when Gideon had heard these things, he being the king's
captain, he went forth and said unto the king: I pray thee
forbear, and do not search this people, and lay not this thing to
their charge.
Mosiah 20:18
18 For do ye not remember the priests of thy father, whom this
people sought to destroy? And are they not in the wilderness?
And are not they the ones who have stolen the daughters of the
Lamanites?
Mosiah 20:19
19 And now, behold, and tell the king of these things, that he
may tell his people that they may be pacified towards us; for
behold they are already preparing to come against us; and behold
also there are but few of us.
Mosiah 20:20
20 And behold, they come with their numerous hosts; and except
the king doth pacify them towards us we must perish.
Mosiah 20:21
21 For are not the words of Abinadi fulfilled, which he
prophesied against us--and all this because we would not hearken
unto the words of the Lord, and turn from our iniquities?
Mosiah 20:22
22 And now let us pacify the king, and we fulfil the oath which
we have made unto him; for it is better that we should be in
bondage than that we should lose our lives; therefore, let us put
a stop to the shedding of so much blood.
Mosiah 20:23
23 And now Limhi told the king all the things concerning his
father, and the priests that had fled into the wilderness, and
attributed the carrying away of their daughters to them.
Mosiah 20:24
24 And it came to pass that the king was pacified towards his
people; and he said unto them: Let us go forth to meet my people,
without arms; and I swear unto you with an oath that my people
shall not slay thy people.
Mosiah 20:25
25 And it came to pass that they followed the king, and went
forth without arms to meet the Lamanites. And it came to pass
that they did meet the Lamanites; and the king of the Lamanites
did bow himself down before them, and did plead in behalf of the
people of Limhi.
Mosiah 20:26
26 And when the Lamanites saw the people of Limhi, that they
were without arms, they had compassion on them and were pacified
towards them, and returned with their king in peace to their own
land.
Mosiah 21
Chapter 21
Mosiah 21:1
1 And it came to pass that Limhi and his people returned to the
city of Nephi, and began to dwell in the land again in peace.
Mosiah 21:2
2 And it came to pass that after many days the Lamanites began
again to be stirred up in anger against the Nephites, and they
began to come into the borders of the land round about.
Mosiah 21:3
3 Now they durst not slay them, because of the oath which their
king had made unto Limhi; but they would smite them on their
cheeks, and exercise authority over them; and began to put heavy
burdens upon their backs, and drive them as they would a dumb
ass--
Mosiah 21:4
4 Yea, all this was done that the word of the Lord might be
fulfilled.
Mosiah 21:5
5 And now the afflictions of the Nephites were great, and there
was no way that they could deliver themselves out of their hands,
for the Lamanites had surrounded them on every side.
Mosiah 21:6
6 And it came to pass that the people began to murmur with the
king because of their afflictions; and they began to be desirous
to go against them to battle. And they did afflict the king
sorely with their complaints; therefore he granted unto them that
they should do according to their desires.
Mosiah 21:7
7 And they gathered themselves together again, and put on their
armor, and went forth against the Lamanites to drive them out of
their land.
Mosiah 21:8
8 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did beat them, and
drove them back, and slew many of them.
Mosiah 21:9
9 And now there was a great mourning and lamentation among the
people of Limhi, the widow mourning for her husband, the son and
the daughter mourning for their father, and the brothers for
their brethren.
Mosiah 21:10
10 Now there were a great many widows in the land, and they did
cry mightily from day to day, for a great fear of the Lamanites
had come upon them.
Mosiah 21:11
11 And it came to pass that their continual cries did stir up
the remainder of the people of Limhi to anger against the
Lamanites; and they went again to battle, but they were driven
back again, suffering much loss.
Mosiah 21:12
12 Yea, they went again even the third time, and suffered in the
like manner; and those that were not slain returned again to the
city of Nephi.
Mosiah 21:13
13 And they did humble themselves even to the dust, subjecting
themselves to the yoke of bondage, submitting themselves to be
smitten, and to be driven to and fro, and burdened, according to
the desires of their enemies.
Mosiah 21:14
14 And they did humble themselves even in the depths of
humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day
long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out
of their afflictions.
Mosiah 21:15
15 And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their
iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began
to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease
their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out
of bondage.
Mosiah 21:16
16 And it came to pass that they began to prosper by degrees in
the land, and began to raise grain more abundantly, and flocks,
and herds, that they did not suffer with hunger.
Mosiah 21:17
17 Now there was a great number of women, more than there was of
men; therefore king Limhi commanded that every man should impart
to the support of the widows and their children, that they might
not perish with hunger; and this they did because of the
greatness of their number that had been slain.
Mosiah 21:18
18 Now the people of Limhi kept together in a body as much as it
was possible, and secured their grain and their flocks;
Mosiah 21:19
19 And the king himself did not trust his person without the
walls of the city, unless he took his guards with him, fearing
that he might by some means fall into the hands of the Lamanites.
Mosiah 21:20
20 And he caused that his people should watch the land round
about, that by some means they might take those priests that fled
into the wilderness, who had stolen the daughters of the
Lamanites, and that had caused such a great destruction to come
upon them.
Mosiah 21:21
21 For they were desirous to take them that they might punish
them; for they had come into the land of Nephi by night, and
carried off their grain and many of their precious things;
therefore they laid wait for them.
Mosiah 21:22
22 And it came to pass that there was no more disturbance
between the Lamanites and the people of Limhi, even until the
time that Ammon and his brethren came into the land.
Mosiah 21:23
23 And the king having been without the gates of the city with
his guard, discovered Ammon and his brethren; and supposing them
to be priests of Noah therefore he caused that they should be
taken, and bound, and cast into prison. And had they been the
priests of Noah he would have caused that they should be put to
death.
Mosiah 21:24
24 But when he found that they were not, but that they were his
brethren, and had come from the land of Zarahemla, he was filled
with exceedingly great joy.
Mosiah 21:25
25 Now king Limhi had sent, previous to the coming of Ammon, a
small number of men to search for the land of Zarahemla; but they
could not find it, and they were lost in the wilderness.
Mosiah 21:26
26 Nevertheless, they did find a land which had been peopled;
yea, a land which was covered with dry bones; yea, a land which
had been peopled and which had been destroyed; and they, having
supposed it to be the land of Zarahemla, returned to the land of
Nephi, having arrived in the borders of the land not many days
before the coming of Ammon.
Mosiah 21:27
27 And they brought a record with them, even a record of the
people whose bones they had found; and it was engraven on plates
of ore.
Mosiah 21:28
28 And now Limhi was again filled with joy in learning from the
mouth of Ammon that king Mosiah had a gift from God, whereby he
could interpret such engravings; yea, and Ammon also did rejoice.
Mosiah 21:29
29 Yet Ammon and his brethren were filled with sorrow because so
many of their brethren had been slain;
Mosiah 21:30
30 And also that king Noah and his priests had caused the people
to commit so many sins and iniquities against God; and they also
did mourn for the death of Abinadi; and also for the departure of
Alma and the people that went with him, who had formed a church
of God through the strength and power of God, and faith on the
words which had been spoken by Abinadi.
Mosiah 21:31
31 Yea, they did mourn for their departure, for they knew not
whither they had fled. Now they would have gladly joined with
them, for they themselves had entered into a covenant with God to
serve him and keep his commandments.
Mosiah 21:32
32 And now since the coming of Ammon, king Limhi had also
entered into a covenant with God, and also many of his people, to
serve him and keep his commandments.
Mosiah 21:33
33 And it came to pass that king Limhi and many of his people
were desirous to be baptized; but there was none in the land that
had authority from God. And Ammon declined doing this thing,
considering himself an unworthy servant.
Mosiah 21:34
34 Therefore they did not at that time form themselves into a
church, waiting upon the Spirit of the Lord. Now they were
desirous to become even as Alma and his brethren, who had fled
into the wilderness.
Mosiah 21:35
35 They were desirous to be baptized as a witness and a
testimony that they were willing to serve God with all their
hearts; nevertheless they did prolong the time; and an account of
their baptism shall be given hereafter.
Mosiah 21:36
36 And now all the study of Ammon and his people, and king Limhi
and his people, was to deliver themselves out of the hands of the
Lamanites and from bondage.
Mosiah 22
Chapter 22
Mosiah 22:1
1 And now it came to pass that Ammon and king Limhi began to
consult with the people how they should deliver themselves out of
bondage; and even they did cause that all the people should
gather themselves together; and this they did that they might
have the voice of the people concerning the matter.
Mosiah 22:2
2 And it came to pass that they could find no way to deliver
themselves out of bondage, except it were to take their women and
children, and their flocks, and their herds, and their tents, and
depart into the wilderness; for the Lamanites being so numerous,
it was impossible for the people of Limhi to contend with them,
thinking to deliver themselves out of bondage by the sword.
Mosiah 22:3
3 Now it came to pass that Gideon went forth and stood before
the king, and said unto him: Now O king, thou hast hitherto
hearkened unto my words many times when we have been contending
with our brethren, the Lamanites.
Mosiah 22:4
4 And now O king, if thou hast not found me to be an
unprofitable servant, or if thou hast hitherto listened to my
words in any degree, and they have been of service to thee, even
so I desire that thou wouldst listen to my words at this time,
and I will be thy servant and deliver this people out of bondage.
Mosiah 22:5
5 And the king granted unto him that he might speak. And Gideon
said unto him:
Mosiah 22:6
6 Behold the back pass, through the back wall, on the back side
of the city. The Lamanites, or the guards of the Lamanites, by
night are drunken; therefore let us send a proclamation among all
this people that they gather together their flocks and herds,
that they may drive them into the wilderness by night.
Mosiah 22:7
7 And I will go according to thy command and pay the last
tribute of wine to the Lamanites, and they will be drunken; and
we will pass through the secret pass on the left of their camp
when they are drunken and asleep.
Mosiah 22:8
8 Thus we will depart with our women and our children, our
flocks, and our herds into the wilderness; and we will travel
around the land of Shilom.
Mosiah 22:9
9 And it came to pass that the king hearkened unto the words of
Gideon.
Mosiah 22:10
10 And king Limhi caused that his people should gather their
flocks together; and he sent the tribute of wine to the
Lamanites; and he also sent more wine, as a present unto them;
and they did drink freely of the wine which king Limhi did send
unto them.
Mosiah 22:11
11 And it came to pass that the people of king Limhi did depart
by night into the wilderness with their flocks and their herds,
and they went round about the land of Shilom in the wilderness,
and bent their course towards the land of Zarahemla, being led by
Ammon and his brethren.
Mosiah 22:12
12 And they had taken all their gold, and silver, and their
precious things, which they could carry, and also their
provisions with them, into the wilderness; and they pursued their
journey.
Mosiah 22:13
13 And after being many days in the wilderness they arrived in
the land of Zarahemla, and joined Mosiah's people, and became his
subjects.
Mosiah 22:14
14 And it came to pass that Mosiah received them with joy; and
he also received their records, and also the records which had
been found by the people of Limhi.
Mosiah 22:15
15 And now it came to pass when the Lamanites had found that the
people of Limhi had departed out of the land by night, that they
sent an army into the wilderness to pursue them;
Mosiah 22:16
16 And after they had pursued them two days, they could no
longer follow their tracks; therefore they were lost in the
wilderness.
Mosiah 23
Chapter 23
Mosiah 23:1
1 Now Alma, having been warned of the Lord that the armies of
king Noah would come upon them, and having made it known to his
people, therefore they gathered together their flocks, and took
of their grain, and departed into the wilderness before the
armies of king Noah.
Mosiah 23:2
2 And the Lord did strengthen them, that the people of king Noah
could not overtake them to destroy them.
Mosiah 23:3
3 And they fled eight days' journey into the wilderness.
Mosiah 23:4
4 And they came to a land, yea, even a very beautiful and
pleasant land, a land of pure water.
Mosiah 23:5
5 And they pitched their tents, and began to till the ground,
and began to build buildings; yea, they were industrious, and did
labor exceedingly.
Mosiah 23:6
6 And the people were desirous that Alma should be their king,
for he was beloved by his people.
Mosiah 23:7
7 But he said unto them: Behold, it is not expedient that we
should have a king; for thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not esteem
one flesh above another, or one man shall not think himself above
another; therefore I say unto you it is not expedient that ye
should have a king.
Mosiah 23:8
8 Nevertheless, if it were possible that ye could always have
just men to be your kings it would be well for you to have a
king.
Mosiah 23:9
9 But remember the iniquity of king Noah and his priests; and I
myself was caught in a snare, and did many things which were
abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sore
repentance;
Mosiah 23:10
10 Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my
cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument
in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his
truth.
Mosiah 23:11
11 Nevertheless, in this I do not glory, for I am unworthy to
glory of myself.
Mosiah 23:12
12 And now I say unto you, ye have been oppressed by king Noah,
and have been in bondage to him and his priests, and have been
brought into iniquity by them; therefore ye were bound with the
bands of iniquity.
Mosiah 23:13
13 And now as ye have been delivered by the power of God out of
these bonds; yea, even out of the hands of king Noah and his
people, and also from the bonds of iniquity, even so I desire
that ye should stand fast in this liberty wherewith ye have been
made free, and that ye trust no man to be a king over you.
Mosiah 23:14
14 And also trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister,
except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his
commandments.
Mosiah 23:15
15 Thus did Alma teach his people, that every man should love
his neighbor as himself, that there should be no contention among
them.
Mosiah 23:16
16 And now, Alma was their high priest, he being the founder of
their church.
Mosiah 23:17
17 And it came to pass that none received authority to preach or
to teach except it were by him from God. Therefore he
consecrated all their priests and all their teachers; and none
were consecrated except they were just men.
Mosiah 23:18
18 Therefore they did watch over their people, and did nourish
them with things pertaining to righteousness.
Mosiah 23:19
19 And it came to pass that they began to prosper exceedingly in
the land; and they called the land Helam.
Mosiah 23:20
20 And it came to pass that they did multiply and prosper
exceedingly in the land of Helam; and they built a city, which
they called the city of Helam.
Mosiah 23:21
21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea,
he trieth their patience and their faith.
Mosiah 23:22
22 Nevertheless--whosoever putteth his trust in him the same
shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with
this people.
Mosiah 23:23
23 For behold, I will show unto you that they were brought into
bondage, and none could deliver them but the Lord their God, yea,
even the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob.
Mosiah 23:24
24 And it came to pass that he did deliver them, and he did show
forth his mighty power unto them, and great were their
rejoicings.
Mosiah 23:25
25 For behold, it came to pass that while they were in the land
of Helam, yea, in the city of Helam, while tilling the land round
about, behold an army of the Lamanites was in the borders of the
land.
Mosiah 23:26
26 Now it came to pass that the brethren of Alma fled from their
fields, and gathered themselves together in the city of Helam;
and they were much frightened because of the appearance of the
Lamanites.
Mosiah 23:27
27 But Alma went forth and stood among them, and exhorted them
that they should not be frightened, but that they should remember
the Lord their God and he would deliver them.
Mosiah 23:28
28 Therefore they hushed their fears, and began to cry unto the
Lord that he would soften the hearts of the Lamanites, that they
would spare them, and their wives, and their children.
Mosiah 23:29
29 And it came to pass the the Lord did soften the hearts of the
Lamanites. And Alma and his brethren went forth and delivered
themselves up into their hands; and the Lamanites took possession
of the land of Helam.
Mosiah 23:30
30 Now the armies of the Lamanites, which had followed after the
people of king Limhi, had been lost in the wilderness for many
days.
Mosiah 23:31
31 And behold, they had found those priests of king Noah, in a
place which they called Amulon; and they had begun to possess the
land of Amulon and had begun to till the ground.
Mosiah 23:32
32 Now the name of the leader of those priests was Amulon.
Mosiah 23:33
33 And it came to pass that Amulon did plead with the Lamanites;
and he also sent forth their wives, who were the daughters of the
Lamanites, to plead with their brethren, that they should not
destroy their husbands.
Mosiah 23:34
34 And the Lamanites had compassion on Amulon and his brethren,
and did not destroy them, because of their wives.
Mosiah 23:35
35 And Amulon and his brethren did join the Lamanites, and they
were traveling in the wilderness in search of the land of Nephi
when they discovered the land of Helam, which was possessed by
Alma and his brethren.
Mosiah 23:36
36 And it came to pass that the Lamanites promised unto Alma and
his brethren, that if they would show them the way which led to
the land of Nephi that they would grant unto them their lives and
their liberty.
Mosiah 23:37
37 But after Alma had shown them the way that led to the land of
Nephi the Lamanites would not keep their promise; but they set
guards round about the land of Helam, over Alma and his brethren.
Mosiah 23:38
38 And the remainder of them went to the land of Nephi; and a
part of them returned to the land of Helam, and also brought with
them the wives and the children of the guards who had been left
in the land.
Mosiah 23:39
39 And the king of the Lamanites had granted unto Amulon that he
should be a king and a ruler over his people, who were in the
land of Helam; nevertheless he should have no power to do
anything contrary to the will of the king of the Lamanites.
Mosiah 24
Chapter 24
Mosiah 24:1
1 And it came to pass that Amulon did gain favor in the eyes of
the king of the Lamanites; therefore, the king of the Lamanites
granted unto him and his brethren that they should be appointed
teachers over his people, yea, even over the people who were in
the land of Shemlon, and in the land of Shilom, and in the land
of Amulon.
Mosiah 24:2
2 For the Lamanites had taken possession of all these lands;
therefore, the king of the Lamanites had appointed kings over all
these lands.
Mosiah 24:3
3 And now the name of the king of the Lamanites was Laman, being
called after the name of his father; and therefore he was called
king Laman. And he was king over a numerous people.
Mosiah 24:4
4 And he appointed teachers of the brethren of Amulon in every
land which was possessed by his people; and thus the language of
Nephi began to be taught among all the people of the Lamanites.
Mosiah 24:5
5 And they were a people friendly one with another; nevertheless
they knew not God; neither did the brethren of Amulon teach them
anything concerning the Lord their God, neither the law of Moses;
nor did they teach them the words of Abinadi;
Mosiah 24:6
6 But they taught them that they should keep their record, and
that they might write one to another.
Mosiah 24:7
7 And thus the Lamanites began to increase in riches, and began
to trade one with another and wax great, and began to be a
cunning and a wise people, as to the wisdom of the world, yea, a
very cunning people, delighting in all manner of wickedness and
plunder, except it were among their own brethren.
Mosiah 24:8
8 And now it came to pass that Amulon began to exercise
authority over Alma and his brethren, and began to persecute him,
and cause that his children should persecute their children.
Mosiah 24:9
9 For Amulon knew Alma, that he had been one of the king's
priests, and that it was he that believed the words of Abinadi
and was driven out before the king, and therefore he was wroth
with him; for he was subject to king Laman, yet he exercised
authority over them, and put tasks upon them, and put
task-masters over them.
Mosiah 24:10
10 And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that
they began to cry mightily to God.
Mosiah 24:11
11 And Amulon commanded them that they should stop their cries;
and he put guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should
be found calling upon God should be put to death.
Mosiah 24:12
12 And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the
Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did
know the thoughts of their hearts.
Mosiah 24:13
13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them
in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good
comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me;
and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of
bondage.
Mosiah 24:14
14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your
shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even
while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as
witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that
I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
Mosiah 24:15
15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon
Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did
strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease,
and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will
of the Lord.
Mosiah 24:16
16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their
patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying:
Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of
bondage.
Mosiah 24:17
17 And he said unto Alma: Thou shalt go before this people, and
I will go with thee and deliver this people out of bondage.
Mosiah 24:18
18 Now it came to pass that Alma and his people in the
night-time gathered their flocks together, and also of their
grain; yea, even all the night-time were they gathering the
flocks together.
Mosiah 24:19
19 And in the morning the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon
the Lamanites, yea, and all their task-masters were in a profound
sleep.
Mosiah 24:20
20 And Alma and his people departed into the wilderness; and
when they had traveled all day they pitched their tents in a
valley, and they called the valley Alma, because he led their way
in the wilderness.
Mosiah 24:21
21 Yea, and in the valley of Alma they poured out their thanks
to God because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their
burdens, and had delivered them out of bondage; for they were in
bondage, and none could deliver them except it were the Lord
their God.
Mosiah 24:22
22 And they gave thanks to God, yea, all their men and all their
women and all their children that could speak lifted their voices
in the praises of their God.
Mosiah 24:23
23 And now the Lord said unto Alma: Haste thee and get thou and
this people out of this land, for the Lamanites have awakened and
do pursue thee; therefore get thee out of this land, and I will
stop the Lamanites in this valley that they come no further in
pursuit of this people.
Mosiah 24:24
24 And it came to pass that they departed out of the valley, and
took their journey into the wilderness.
Mosiah 24:25
25 And after they had been in the wilderness twelve days they
arrived in the land of Zarahemla; and king Mosiah did also
receive them with joy.
Mosiah 25
Chapter 25
Mosiah 25:1
1 And now king Mosiah caused that all the people should be
gathered together.
Mosiah 25:2
2 Now there were not so many of the children of Nephi, or so
many of those who were descendants of Nephi, as there were of the
people of Zarahemla, who was a descendant of Mulek, and those who
came with him into the wilderness.
Mosiah 25:3
3 And there were not so many of the people of Nephi and of the
people of Zarahemla as there were of the Lamanites; yea, they
were not half so numerous.
Mosiah 25:4
4 And now all the people of Nephi were assembled together, and
also all the people of Zarahemla, and they were gathered together
in two bodies.
Mosiah 25:5
5 And it came to pass that Mosiah did read, and caused to be
read, the records of Zeniff to his people; yea, he read the
records of the people of Zeniff, from the time they left the land
of Zarahemla until they returned again.
Mosiah 25:6
6 And he also read the account of Alma and his brethren, and all
their afflictions, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla
until the time they returned again.
Mosiah 25:7
7 And now, when Mosiah had made an end of reading the records,
his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and
amazement.
Mosiah 25:8
8 For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those
that had been delivered out of bondage they were filled with
exceedingly great joy.
Mosiah 25:9
9 And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been
slain by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even
shed many tears of sorrow.
Mosiah 25:10
10 And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of
God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the
hands of the Lamanites and of bondage, they did raise their
voices and give thanks to God.
Mosiah 25:11
11 And again, when they thought upon the Lamanites, who were
their brethren, of their sinful and polluted state, they were
filled with pain and anguish for the welfare of their souls.
Mosiah 25:12
12 And it came to pass that those who were the children of
Amulon and his brethren, who had taken to wife the daughters of
the Lamanites, were displeased with the conduct of their fathers,
and they would no longer be called by the names of their fathers,
therefore they took upon themselves the name of Nephi, that they
might be called the children of Nephi and be numbered among those
who were called Nephites.
Mosiah 25:13
13 And now all the people of Zarahemla were numbered with the
Nephites, and this because the kingdom had been conferred upon
none but those who were descendants of Nephi.
Mosiah 25:14
14 And now it came to pass that when Mosiah had made an end of
speaking and reading to the people, he desired that Alma should
also speak to the people.
Mosiah 25:15
15 And Alma did speak unto them, when they were assembled
together in large bodies, and he went from one body to another,
preaching unto the people repentance and faith on the Lord.
Mosiah 25:16
16 And he did exhort the people of Limhi and his brethren, all
those that had been delivered out of bondage, that they should
remember that it was the Lord that did deliver them.
Mosiah 25:17
17 And it came to pass that after Alma had taught the people
many things, and had made an end of speaking to them, that king
Limhi was desirous that he might be baptized; and all his people
were desirous that they might be baptized also.
Mosiah 25:18
18 Therefore, Alma did go forth into the water and did baptize
them; yea, he did baptize them after the manner he did his
brethren in the waters of Mormon; yea, and as many as he did
baptize did belong to the church of God; and this because of
their belief on the words of Alma.
Mosiah 25:19
19 And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that
he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla;
and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every
church.
Mosiah 25:20
20 Now this was done because there were so many people that they
could not all be governed by one teacher; neither could they all
hear the word of God in one assembly;
Mosiah 25:21
21 Therefore they did assemble themselves together in different
bodies, being called churches; every church having their priests
and their teachers, and every priest preaching the word according
as it was delivered to him by the mouth of Alma.
Mosiah 25:22
22 And thus, notwithstanding there being many churches they were
all one church, yea, even the church of God; for there was
nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance
and faith in God.
Mosiah 25:23
23 And now there were seven churches in the land of Zarahemla.
And it came to pass that whosoever were desirous to take upon
them the name of Christ, or of God, they did join the churches of
God;
Mosiah 25:24
24 And they were called the people of God. And the Lord did
pour out his Spirit upon them, and they were blessed, and
prospered in the land.
Mosiah 26
Chapter 26
Mosiah 26:1
1 Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising
generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin,
being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and
they did not believe the tradition of their fathers.
Mosiah 26:2
2 They did not believe what had been said concerning the
resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the
coming of Christ.
Mosiah 26:3
3 And now because of their unbelief they could not understand
the word of God; and their hearts were hardened.
Mosiah 26:4
4 And they would not be baptized; neither would they join the
church. And they were a separate people as to their faith, and
remained so ever after, even in their carnal and sinful state;
for they would not call upon the Lord their God.
Mosiah 26:5
5 And now in the reign of Mosiah they were not half so numerous
as the people of God; but because of the dissensions among the
brethren they became more numerous.
Mosiah 26:6
6 For it came to pass that they did deceive many with their
flattering words, who were in the church, and did cause them to
commit many sins; therefore it became expedient that those who
committed sin, that were in the church, should be admonished by
the church.
Mosiah 26:7
7 And it came to pass that they were brought before the priests,
and delivered up unto the priests by the teachers; and the
priests brought them before Alma, who was the high priest.
Mosiah 26:8
8 Now king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church.
Mosiah 26:9
9 And it came to pass that Alma did not know concerning them;
but there were many witnesses against them; yea, the people stood
and testified of their iniquity in abundance.
Mosiah 26:10
10 Now there had not any such thing happened before in the
church; therefore Alma was troubled in his spirit, and he caused
that they should be brought before the king.
Mosiah 26:11
11 And he said unto the king: Behold, here are many whom we have
brought before thee, who are accused of their brethren; yea, and
they have been taken in divers iniquities. And they do not
repent of their iniquities; therefore we have brought them before
thee, that thou mayest judge them according to their crimes.
Mosiah 26:12
12 But king Mosiah said unto Alma: Behold, I judge them not;
therefore I deliver them into thy hands to be judged.
Mosiah 26:13
13 And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled; and he went
and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this
matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of
God.
Mosiah 26:14
14 And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole
soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying:
Mosiah 26:15
15 Blessed art thou, Alma, and blessed are they who were
baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of
thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi.
Mosiah 26:16
16 And blessed are they because of their exceeding faith in the
words alone which thou hast spoken unto them.
Mosiah 26:17
17 And blessed art thou because thou hast established a church
among this people; and they shall be established, and they shall
be my people.
Mosiah 26:18
18 Yea, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name;
for in my name shall they be called; and they are mine.
Mosiah 26:19
19 And because thou hast inquired of me concerning the
transgressor, thou art blessed.
Mosiah 26:20
20 Thou art my servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt
have eternal life; and thou shalt serve me and go forth in my
name, and shalt gather together my sheep.
Mosiah 26:21
21 And he that will hear my voice shall be my sheep; and him
shall ye receive into the church, and him will I also receive.
Mosiah 26:22
22 For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be
baptized unto repentance. And whomsoever ye receive shall
believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive.
Mosiah 26:23
23 For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world; for it
is I that hath created them; and it is I that granteth unto him
that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand.
Mosiah 26:24
24 For behold, in my name are they called; and if they know me
they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my
right hand.
Mosiah 26:25
25 And it shall come to pass that when the second trump shall
sound then shall they that never knew me come forth and shall
stand before me.
Mosiah 26:26
26 And then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, that I
am their Redeemer; but they would not be redeemed.
Mosiah 26:27
27 And then I will confess unto them that I never knew them; and
they shall depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil
and his angels.
Mosiah 26:28
28 Therefore I say unto you, that he that will not hear my
voice, the same shall ye not receive into my church, for him I
will not receive at the last day.
Mosiah 26:29
29 Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth
against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has
committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and
repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive,
and I will forgive him also.
Mosiah 26:30
30 Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them
their trespasses against me.
Mosiah 26:31
31 And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses; for
verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his neighbor's
trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought
himself under condemnation.
Mosiah 26:32
32 Now I say unto you, Go; and whosoever will not repent of his
sins the same shall not be numbered among my people; and this
shall be observed from this time forward.
Mosiah 26:33
33 And it came to pass when Alma had heard these words he wrote
them down that he might have them, and that he might judge the
people of that church according to the commandments of God.
Mosiah 26:34
34 And it came to pass that Alma went and judged those that had
been taken in iniquity, according to the word of the Lord.
Mosiah 26:35
35 And whosoever repented of their sins and did confess them,
them he did number among the people of the church;
Mosiah 26:36
36 And those that would not confess their sins and repent of
their iniquity, the same were not numbered among the people of
the church, and their names were blotted out.
Mosiah 26:37
37 And it came to pass that Alma did regulate all the affairs of
the church; and they began again to have peace and to prosper
exceedingly in the affairs of the church, walking circumspectly
before God, receiving many, and baptizing many.
Mosiah 26:38
38 And now all these things did Alma and his fellow laborers do
who were over the church, walking in all diligence, teaching the
word of God in all things, suffering all manner of afflictions,
being persecuted by all those who did not belong to the church of
God.
Mosiah 26:39
39 And they did admonish their brethren; and they were also
admonished, every one by the word of God, according to his sins,
or to the sins which he had committed, being commanded of God to
pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all things.
Mosiah 27
Chapter 27
Mosiah 27:1
1 And now it came to pass that the persecutions which were
inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that
the church began to murmur, and complain to their leaders
concerning the matter; and they did complain to Alma. And Alma
laid the case before their king, Mosiah. And Mosiah consulted
with his priests.
Mosiah 27:2
2 And it came to pass that king Mosiah sent a proclamation
throughout the land round about that there should not any
unbeliever persecute any of those who belonged to the church of
God.
Mosiah 27:3
3 And there was a strict command throughout all the churches
that there should be no persecutions among them, that there
should be an equality among all men;
Mosiah 27:4
4 That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their
peace; that every man should esteem his neighbor as himself,
laboring with their own hands for their support.
Mosiah 27:5
5 Yea, and all their priests and teachers should labor with
their own hands for their support, in all cases save it were in
sickness, or in much want; and doing these things, they did
abound in the grace of God.
Mosiah 27:6
6 And there began to be much peace again in the land; and the
people began to be very numerous, and began to scatter abroad
upon the face of the earth, yea, on the north and on the south,
on the east and on the west, building large cities and villages
in all quarters of the land.
Mosiah 27:7
7 And the Lord did visit them and prosper them, and they became
a large and wealthy people.
Mosiah 27:8
8 Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the unbelievers;
and also one of the sons of Alma was numbered among them, he
being called Alma, after his father; nevertheless, he became a
very wicked and an idolatrous man. And he was a man of many
words, and did speak much flattery to the people; therefore he
led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities.
Mosiah 27:9
9 And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the
church of God; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing
much dissension among the people; giving a chance for the enemy
of God to exercise his power over them.
Mosiah 27:10
10 And now it came to pass that while he was going about to
destroy the church of God, for he did go about secretly with the
sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray
the people of the Lord, contrary to the commandments of God, or
even the king--
Mosiah 27:11
11 And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling
against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them;
and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were
with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon
which they stood;
Mosiah 27:12
12 And so great was their astonishment, that they fell to the
earth, and understood not the words which he spake unto them.
Mosiah 27:13
13 Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand
forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God? For the Lord
hath said: This is my church, and I will establish it; and
nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my
people.
Mosiah 27:14
14 And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the
prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma,
who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning
thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth;
therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the
power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants
might be answered according to their faith.
Mosiah 27:15
15 And now behold, can ye dispute the power of God? For behold,
doth not my voice shake the earth? And can ye not also behold me
before you? And I am sent from God.
Mosiah 27:16
16 Now I say unto thee: Go, and remember the captivity of thy
fathers in the land of Helam, and in the land of Nephi; and
remember how great things he has done for them; for they were in
bondage, and he has delivered them. And now I say unto thee,
Alma, go thy way, and seek to destroy the church no more, that
their prayers may be answered, and this even if thou wilt of
thyself be cast off.
Mosiah 27:17
17 And now it came to pass that these were the last words which
the angel spake unto Alma, and he departed.
Mosiah 27:18
18 And now Alma and those that were with him fell again to the
earth, for great was their astonishment; for with their own eyes
they had beheld an angel of the Lord; and his voice was as
thunder, which shook the earth; and they knew that there was
nothing save the power of God that could shake the earth and
cause it to tremble as though it would part asunder.
Mosiah 27:19
19 And now the astonishment of Alma was so great that he became
dumb, that he could not open his mouth; yea, and he became weak,
even that he could not move his hands; therefore he was taken by
those that were with him, and carried helpless, even until he was
laid before his father.
Mosiah 27:20
20 And they rehearsed unto his father all that had happened unto
them; and his father rejoiced, for he knew that it was the power
of God.
Mosiah 27:21
21 And he caused that a multitude should be gathered together
that they might witness what the Lord had done for his son, and
also for those that were with him.
Mosiah 27:22
22 And he caused that the priests should assemble themselves
together; and they began to fast, and to pray to the Lord their
God that he would open the mouth of Alma, that he might speak,
and also that his limbs might receive their strength--that the
eyes of the people might be opened to see and know of the
goodness and glory of God.
Mosiah 27:23
23 And it came to pass after they had fasted and prayed for the
space of two days and two nights, the limbs of Alma received
their strength, and he stood up and began to speak unto them,
bidding them to be of good comfort:
Mosiah 27:24
24 For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been
redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.
Mosiah 27:25
25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea,
men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be
born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and
fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God,
becoming his sons and daughters;
Mosiah 27:26
26 And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this,
they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
Mosiah 27:27
27 I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast
off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off.
Mosiah 27:28
28 Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulations,
repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to
snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God.
Mosiah 27:29
29 My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and
bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold
the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal
torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.
Mosiah 27:30
30 I rejected my Redeemer, and denied that which had been spoken
of by our fathers; but now that they may foresee that he will
come, and that he remembereth every creature of his creating, he
will make himself manifest unto all.
Mosiah 27:31
31 Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before
him. Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be
judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall
they confess, who live without God in the world, that the
judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they
shall quake, and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his
all-searching eye.
Mosiah 27:32
32 And now it came to pass that Alma began from this time
forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the
time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through
all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they
had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much
tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were
unbelievers, being smitten by many of them.
Mosiah 27:33
33 But notwithstanding all this, they did impart much
consolation to the church, confirming their faith, and exhorting
them with long-suffering and much travail to keep the
commandments of God.
Mosiah 27:34
34 And four of them were the sons of Mosiah; and their names
were Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and Himni; these were the names
of the sons of Mosiah.
Mosiah 27:35
35 And they traveled throughout all the lands of Zarahemla, and
among all the people who were under the reign of king Mosiah,
zealously striving to repair all the injuries which they had done
to the church, confessing all their sins, and publishing all the
things which they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and the
scriptures to all who desired to hear them.
Mosiah 27:36
36 And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in
bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the
knowledge of their Redeemer.
Mosiah 27:37
37 And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they
did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the
people that the Lord reigneth.
Mosiah 28
Chapter 28
Mosiah 28:1
1 Now it came to pass that after the sons of Mosiah had done all
these things, they took a small number with them and returned to
their father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant
unto them that they might, with these whom they had selected, go
up to the land of Nephi that they might preach the things which
they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to
their brethren, the Lamanites--
Mosiah 28:2
2 That perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the
Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their
fathers; and that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred
towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice
in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one
another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the
land which the Lord their God had given them.
Mosiah 28:3
3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to
every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul
should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should
endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.
Mosiah 28:4
4 And thus did the Spirit of the Lord work upon them, for they
were the very vilest of sinners. And the Lord saw fit in his
infinite mercy to spare them; nevertheless they suffered much
anguish of soul because of their iniquities, suffering much and
fearing that they should be cast off forever.
Mosiah 28:5
5 And it came to pass that they did plead with their father many
days that they might go up to the land of Nephi.
Mosiah 28:6
6 And king Mosiah went and inquired of the Lord if he should let
his sons go up among the Lamanites to preach the word.
Mosiah 28:7
7 And the Lord said unto Mosiah: Let them go up, for many shall
believe on their words, and they shall have eternal life; and I
will deliver thy sons out of the hands of the Lamanites.
Mosiah 28:8
8 And it came to pass that Mosiah granted that they might go and
do according to their request.
Mosiah 28:9
9 And they took their journey into the wilderness to go up to
preach the word among the Lamanites; and I shall give an account
of their proceedings hereafter.
Mosiah 28:10
10 Now king Mosiah had no one to confer the kingdom upon, for
there was not any of his sons who would accept of the kingdom.
Mosiah 28:11
11 Therefore he took the records which were engraven on the
plates of brass, and also the plates of Nephi, and all the things
which he had kept and preserved according to the commandments of
God, after having translated and caused to be written the records
which were on the plates of gold which had been found by the
people of Limhi, which were delivered to him by the hand of
Limhi;
Mosiah 28:12
12 And this he did because of the great anxiety of his people;
for they were desirous beyond measure to know concerning those
people who had been destroyed.
Mosiah 28:13
13 And now he translated them by the means of those two stones
which were fastened into the two rims of a bow.
Mosiah 28:14
14 Now these things were prepared from the beginning, and were
handed down from generation to generation, for the purpose of
interpreting languages;
Mosiah 28:15
15 And they have been kept and preserved by the hand of the
Lord, that he should discover to every creature who should
possess the land the iniquities and abominations of his people;
Mosiah 28:16
16 And whosoever has these things is called seer, after the
manner of old times.
Mosiah 28:17
17 Now after Mosiah had finished translating these records,
behold, it gave an account of the people who were destroyed, from
the time that they were destroyed back to the building of the
great tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the
people and they were scattered abroad upon the face of all the
earth, yea, and even from that time back until the creation of
Adam.
Mosiah 28:18
18 Now this account did cause the people of Mosiah to mourn
exceedingly, yea, they were filled with sorrow; nevertheless it
gave them much knowledge, in the which they did rejoice.
Mosiah 28:19
19 And this account shall be written hereafter; for behold, it
is expedient that all people should know the things which are
written in this account.
Mosiah 28:20
20 And now, as I said unto you, that after king Mosiah had done
these things, he took the plates of brass, and all the things
which he had kept, and conferred them upon Alma, who was the son
of Alma; yea, all the records, and also the interpreters, and
conferred them upon him, and commanded him that he should keep
and preserve them, and also keep a record of the people, handing
them down from one generation to another, even as they had been
handed down from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem.
Mosiah 29
Chapter 29
Mosiah 29:1
1 Now when Mosiah had done this he sent out throughout all the
land, among all the people, desiring to know their will
concerning who should be their king.
Mosiah 29:2
2 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying:
We are desirous that Aaron thy son should be our king and our
ruler.
Mosiah 29:3
3 Now Aaron had gone up to the land of Nephi, therefore the king
could not confer the kingdom upon him; neither would Aaron take
upon him the kingdom; neither were any of the sons of Mosiah
willing to take upon them the kingdom.
Mosiah 29:4
4 Therefore king Mosiah sent again among the people; yea, even a
written word sent he among the people. And these were the words
that were written, saying:
Mosiah 29:5
5 Behold, O ye my people, or my brethren, for I esteem you as
such, I desire that ye should consider the cause which ye are
called to consider--for ye are desirous to have a king.
Mosiah 29:6
6 Now I declare unto you that he to whom the kingdom doth
rightly belong has declined, and will not take upon him the
kingdom.
Mosiah 29:7
7 And now if there should be another appointed in his stead,
behold I fear there would rise contentions among you. And who
knoweth but what my son, to whom the kingdom doth belong, should
turn to be angry and draw away a part of this people after him,
which would cause wars and contentions among you, which would be
the cause of shedding much blood and perverting the way of the
Lord, yea, and destroy the souls of many people.
Mosiah 29:8
8 Now I say unto you let us be wise and consider these things,
for we have no right to destroy my son, neither should we have
any right to destroy another if he should be appointed in his
stead.
Mosiah 29:9
9 And if my son should turn again to his pride and vain things
he would recall the things which he had said, and claim his right
to the kingdom, which would cause him and also this people to
commit much sin.
Mosiah 29:10
10 And now let us be wise and look forward to these things, and
do that which will make for the peace of this people.
Mosiah 29:11
11 Therefore I will be your king the remainder of my days;
nevertheless, let us appoint judges, to judge this people
according to our law; and we will newly arrange the affairs of
this people, for we will appoint wise men to be judges, that will
judge this people according to the commandments of God.
Mosiah 29:12
12 Now it is better that a man should be judged of God than of
man, for the judgments of God are always just, but the judgments
of man are not always just.
Mosiah 29:13
13 Therefore, if it were possible that you could have just men
to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God, and judge
this people according to his commandments, yea, if ye could have
men for your kings who would do even as my father Benjamin did
for this people--I say unto you, if this could always be the case
then it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to
rule over you.
Mosiah 29:14
14 And even I myself have labored with all the power and
faculties which I have possessed, to teach you the commandments
of God, and to establish peace throughout the land, that there
should be no wars nor contentions, no stealing, nor plundering,
nor murdering, nor any manner of iniquity;
Mosiah 29:15
15 And whosoever has committed iniquity, him have I punished
according to the crime which he has committed, according to the
law which has been given to us by our fathers.
Mosiah 29:16
16 Now I say unto you, that because all men are not just it is
not expedient that ye should have a king or kings to rule over
you.
Mosiah 29:17
17 For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to
be committed, yea, and what great destruction!
Mosiah 29:18
18 Yea, remember king Noah, his wickedness and his abominations,
and also the wickedness and abominations of his people. Behold
what great destruction did come upon them; and also because of
their iniquities they were brought into bondage.
Mosiah 29:19
19 And were it not for the interposition of their all-wise
Creator, and this because of their sincere repentance, they must
unavoidably remain in bondage until now.
Mosiah 29:20
20 But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble
themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him
he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work
with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending
the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.
Mosiah 29:21
21 And behold, now I say unto you, ye cannot dethrone an
iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the
shedding of much blood.
Mosiah 29:22
22 For behold, he has his friends in iniquity, and he keepeth
his guards about him; and he teareth up the laws of those who
have reigned in righteousness before him; and he trampleth under
his feet the commandments of God;
Mosiah 29:23
23 And he enacteth laws, and sendeth them forth among his
people, yea, laws after the manner of his own wickedness; and
whosoever doth not obey his laws he causeth to be destroyed; and
whosoever doth rebel against him he will send his armies against
them to war, and if he can he will destroy them; and thus an
unrighteous king doth pervert the ways of all righteousness.
Mosiah 29:24
24 And now behold I say unto you, it is not expedient that such
abominations should come upon you.
Mosiah 29:25
25 Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people, judges,
that ye may be judged according to the laws which have been given
you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them
by the hand of the Lord.
Mosiah 29:26
26 Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth
anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for
the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right;
therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law--to do your
business by the voice of the people.
Mosiah 29:27
27 And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth
choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will
come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great
destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.
Mosiah 29:28
28 And now if ye have judges, and they do not judge you
according to the law which has been given, ye can cause that they
may be judged of a higher judge.
Mosiah 29:29
29 If your higher judges do not judge righteous judgments, ye
shall cause that a small number of your lower judges should be
gathered together, and they shall judge your higher judges,
according to the voice of the people.
Mosiah 29:30
30 And I command you to do these things in the fear of the Lord;
and I command you to do these things, and that ye have no king;
that if these people commit sins and iniquities they shall be
answered upon their own heads.
Mosiah 29:31
31 For behold I say unto you, the sins of many people have been
caused by the iniquities of their kings; therefore their
iniquities are answered upon the heads of their kings.
Mosiah 29:32
32 And now I desire that this inequality should be no more in
this land, especially among this my people; but I desire that
this land be a land of liberty, and every man may enjoy his
rights and privileges alike, so long as the Lord sees fit that we
may live and inherit the land, yea, even as long as any of our
posterity remains upon the face of the land.
Mosiah 29:33
33 And many more things did king Mosiah write unto them,
unfolding unto them all the trials and troubles of a righteous
king, yea, all the travails of soul for their people, and also
all the murmurings of the people to their king; and he explained
it all unto them.
Mosiah 29:34
34 And he told them that these things ought not to be; but that
the burden should come upon all the people, that every man might
bear his part.
Mosiah 29:35
35 And he also unfolded unto them all the disadvantages they
labored under, by having an unrighteous king to rule over them;
Mosiah 29:36
36 Yea, all his iniquities and abominations, and all the wars,
and contentions, and bloodshed, and the stealing, and the
plundering, and the committing of whoredoms, and all manner of
iniquities which cannot be enumerated--telling them that these
things ought not to be, that they were expressly repugnant to the
commandments of God.
Mosiah 29:37
37 And now it came to pass, after king Mosiah had sent these
things forth among the people they were convinced of the truth of
his words.
Mosiah 29:38
38 Therefore they relinquished their desires for a king, and
became exceedingly anxious that every man should have an equal
chance throughout all the land; yea, and every man expressed a
willingness to answer for his own sins.
Mosiah 29:39
39 Therefore, it came to pass that they assembled themselves
together in bodies throughout the land, to cast in their voices
concerning who should be their judges, to judge them according to
the law which had been given them; and they were exceedingly
rejoiced because of the liberty which had been granted unto them.
Mosiah 29:40
40 And they did wax strong in love towards Mosiah; yea, they did
esteem him more than any other man; for they did not look upon
him as a tyrant who was seeking for gain, yea, for that lucre
which doth corrupt the soul; for he had not exacted riches of
them, neither had he delighted in the shedding of blood; but he
had established peace in the land, and he had granted unto his
people that they should be delivered from all manner of bondage;
therefore they did esteem him, yea, exceedingly, beyond measure.
Mosiah 29:41
41 And it came to pass that they did appoint judges to rule over
them, or to judge them according to the law; and this they did
throughout all the land.
Mosiah 29:42
42 And it came to pass that Alma was appointed to be the first
chief judge, he being also the high priest, his father having
conferred the office upon him, and having given him the charge
concerning all the affairs of the church.
Mosiah 29:43
43 And now it came to pass that Alma did walk in the ways of the
Lord, and he did keep his commandments, and he did judge
righteous judgments; and there was continual peace through the
land.
Mosiah 29:44
44 And thus commenced the reign of the judges throughout all the
land of Zarahemla, among all the people who were called the
Nephites; and Alma was the first and chief judge.
Mosiah 29:45
45 And now it came to pass that his father died, being eighty
and two years old, having lived to fulfil the commandments of
God.
Mosiah 29:46
46 And it came to pass that Mosiah died also, in the thirty and
third year of his reign, being sixty and three years old; making
in the whole, five hundred and nine years from the time Lehi left
Jerusalem.
Mosiah 29:47
47 And thus ended the reign of the kings over the people of
Nephi; and thus ended the days of Alma, who was the founder of
their church.
Alma
THE BOOK OF ALMA
THE SON OF ALMA
The account of Alma, who was the son of Alma the first, and chief
judge over the people of Nephi, and also the high priest over the
Church. An account of the reign of the judges, and the wars and
contentions among the people. And also an account of a war
between the Nephites and the Lamanites, according to the record
of Alma, the first and chief judge.
Alma 1
Chapter 1
Alma 1:1
1 Now it came to pass that in the first year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, from this time forward, king
Mosiah having gone the way of all the earth, having warred a good
warfare, walking uprightly before God, leaving none to reign in
his stead; nevertheless he had established laws, and they were
acknowledged by the people; therefore they were obliged to abide
by the laws which he had made.
Alma 1:2
2 And it came to pass that in the first year of the reign of
Alma in the judgment-seat, there was a man brought before him to
be judged, a man who was large, and was noted for his much
strength.
Alma 1:3
3 And he had gone about among the people, preaching to them that
which he termed to be the word of God, bearing down against the
church; declaring unto the people that every priest and teacher
ought to become popular; and they ought not to labor with their
hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people.
Alma 1:4
4 And he also testified unto the people that all mankind should
be saved at the last day, and that they need not fear nor
tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice; for
the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men; and,
in the end, all men should have eternal life.
Alma 1:5
5 And it came to pass that he did teach these things so much
that many did believe on his words, even so many that they began
to support him and give him money.
Alma 1:6
6 And he began to be lifted up in the pride of his heart, and to
wear very costly apparel, yea, and even began to establish a
church after the manner of his preaching.
Alma 1:7
7 And it came to pass as he was going, to preach to those who
believed on his word, he met a man who belonged to the church of
God, yea, even one of their teachers; and he began to contend
with him sharply, that he might lead away the people of the
church; but the man withstood him, admonishing him with the words
of God.
Alma 1:8
8 Now the name of the man was Gideon; and it was he who was an
instrument in the hands of God in delivering the people of Limhi
out of bondage.
Alma 1:9
9 Now, because Gideon withstood him with the words of God he was
wroth with Gideon, and drew his sword and began to smite him.
Now Gideon being stricken with many years, therefore he was not
able to withstand his blows, therefore he was slain by the sword.
Alma 1:10
10 And the man who slew him was taken by the people of the
church, and was brought before Alma, to be judged according to
the crimes which he had committed.
Alma 1:11
11 And it came to pass that he stood before Alma and pleaded for
himself with much boldness.
Alma 1:12
12 But Alma said unto him: Behold, this is the first time that
priestcraft has been introduced among this people. And behold,
thou art not only guilty of priestcraft, but hast endeavored to
enforce it by the sword; and were priestcraft to be enforced
among this people it would prove their entire destruction.
Alma 1:13
13 And thou hast shed the blood of a righteous man, yea, a man
who has done much good among this people; and were we to spare
thee his blood would come upon us for vengeance.
Alma 1:14
14 Therefore thou art condemned to die, according to the law
which has been given us by Mosiah, our last king; and it has been
acknowledged by this people; therefore this people must abide by
the law.
Alma 1:15
15 And it came to pass that they took him; and his name was
Nehor; and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti, and
there he was caused, or rather did acknowledge, between the
heavens and the earth, that what he had taught to the people was
contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious
death.
Alma 1:16
16 Nevertheless, this did not put an end to the spreading of
priestcraft through the land; for there were many who loved the
vain things of the world, and they went forth preaching false
doctrines; and this they did for the sake of riches and honor.
Alma 1:17
17 Nevertheless, they durst not lie, if it were known, for fear
of the law, for liars were punished; therefore they pretended to
preach according to their belief; and now the law could have no
power on any man for his belief.
Alma 1:18
18 And they durst not steal, for fear of the law, for such were
punished; neither durst they rob, nor murder, for he that
murdered was punished unto death.
Alma 1:19
19 But it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the
church of God began to persecute those that did belong to the
church of God, and had taken upon them the name of Christ.
Alma 1:20
20 Yea, they did persecute them, and afflict them with all
manner of words, and this because of their humility; because they
were not proud in their own eyes, and because they did impart the
word of God, one with another, without money and without price.
Alma 1:21
21 Now there was a strict law among the people of the church
that there should not any man, belonging to the church, arise and
persecute those that did not belong to the church, and that there
should be no persecution among themselves.
Alma 1:22
22 Nevertheless, there were many among them who began to be
proud, and began to contend warmly with their adversaries, even
unto blows; yea, they would smite one another with their fists.
Alma 1:23
23 Now this was in the second year of the reign of Alma, and it
was a cause of much affliction to the church; yea, it was the
cause of much trial with the church.
Alma 1:24
24 For the hearts of many were hardened, and their names were
blotted out, that they were remembered no more among the people
of God. And also many withdrew themselves from among them.
Alma 1:25
25 Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in
the faith; nevertheless, they were steadfast and immovable in
keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with patience the
persecution which was heaped upon them.
Alma 1:26
26 And when the priests left their labor to impart the word of
God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear
the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the
word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors;
and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the
preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher
any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and
they did all labor, every man according to his strength.
Alma 1:27
27 And they did impart of their substance, every man according
to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick,
and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they
were neat and comely.
Alma 1:28
28 And thus they did establish the affairs of the church; and
thus they began to have continual peace again, notwithstanding
all their persecutions.
Alma 1:29
29 And now, because of the steadiness of the church they began
to be exceedingly rich, having abundance of all things whatsoever
they stood in need--an abundance of flocks and herds, and
fatlings of every kind, and also abundance of grain, and of gold,
and of silver, and of precious things, and abundance of silk and
fine-twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth.
Alma 1:30
30 And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not
send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were
athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and
they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were
liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male
and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no
respect to persons as to those who stood in need.
Alma 1:31
31 And thus they did prosper and become far more wealthy than
those who did not belong to their church.
Alma 1:32
32 For those who did not belong to their church did indulge
themselves in sorceries, and in idolatry or idleness, and in
babblings, and in envyings and strife; wearing costly apparel;
being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes; persecuting,
lying, thieving, robbing, committing whoredoms, and murdering,
and all manner of wickedness; nevertheless, the law was put in
force upon all those who did transgress it, inasmuch as it was
possible.
Alma 1:33
33 And it came to pass that by thus exercising the law upon
them, every man suffering according to that which he had done,
they became more still, and durst not commit any wickedness if it
were known; therefore, there was much peace among the people of
Nephi until the fifth year of the reign of the judges.
Alma 2
Chapter 2
Alma 2:1
1 And it came to pass in the commencement of the fifth year of
their reign there began to be a contention among the people; for
a certain man, being called Amlici, he being a very cunning man,
yea, a wise man as to the wisdom of the world, he being after the
order of the man that slew Gideon by the sword, who was executed
according to the law--
Alma 2:2
2 Now this Amlici had, by his cunning, drawn away much people
after him; even so much that they began to be very powerful; and
they began to endeavor to establish Amlici to be king over the
people.
Alma 2:3
3 Now this was alarming to the people of the church, and also to
all those who had not been drawn away after the persuasions of
Amlici; for they knew that according to their law that such
things must be established by the voice of the people.
Alma 2:4
4 Therefore, if it were possible that Amlici should gain the
voice of the people, he, being a wicked man, would deprive them
of their rights and privileges of the church; for it was his
intent to destroy the church of God.
Alma 2:5
5 And it came to pass that the people assembled themselves
together throughout all the land, every man according to his
mind, whether it were for or against Amlici, in separate bodies,
having much dispute and wonderful contentions one with another.
Alma 2:6
6 And thus they did assemble themselves together to cast in
their voices concerning the matter; and they were laid before the
judges.
Alma 2:7
7 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came against
Amlici, that he was not made king over the people.
Alma 2:8
8 Now this did cause much joy in the hearts of those who were
against him; but Amlici did stir up those who were in his favor
to anger against those who were not in his favor.
Alma 2:9
9 And it came to pass that they gathered themselves together,
and did consecrate Amlici to be their king.
Alma 2:10
10 Now when Amlici was made king over them he commanded them
that they should take up arms against their brethren; and this he
did that he might subject them to him.
Alma 2:11
11 Now the people of Amlici were distinguished by the name of
Amlici, being called Amlicites; and the remainder were called
Nephites, or the people of God.
Alma 2:12
12 Therefore the people of the Nephites were aware of the intent
of the Amlicites, and therefore they did prepare to meet them;
yea, they did arm themselves with swords, and with cimeters, and
with bows, and with arrows, and with stones, and with slings, and
with all manner of weapons of war, of every kind.
Alma 2:13
13 And thus they were prepared to meet the Amlicites at the time
of their coming. And there were appointed captains, and higher
captains, and chief captains, according to their numbers.
Alma 2:14
14 And it came to pass that Amlici did arm his men with all
manner of weapons of war of every kind; and he also appointed
rulers and leaders over his people, to lead them to war against
their brethren.
Alma 2:15
15 And it came to pass that the Amlicites came upon the hill
Amnihu, which was east of the river Sidon, which ran by the land
of Zarahemla, and there they began to make war with the Nephites.
Alma 2:16
16 Now Alma, being the chief judge and the governor of the
people of Nephi, therefore he went up with his people, yea, with
his captains, and chief captains, yea, at the head of his armies,
against the Amlicites to battle.
Alma 2:17
17 And they began to slay the Amlicites upon the hill east of
Sidon. And the Amlicites did contend with the Nephites with
great strength, insomuch that many of the Nephites did fall
before the Amlicites.
Alma 2:18
18 Nevertheless the Lord did strengthen the hand of the
Nephites, that they slew the Amlicites with great slaughter, that
they began to flee before them.
Alma 2:19
19 And it came to pass that the Nephites did pursue the
Amlicites all that day, and did slay them with much slaughter,
insomuch that there were slain of the Amlicites twelve thousand
five hundred thirty and two souls; and there were slain of the
Nephites six thousand five hundred sixty and two souls.
Alma 2:20
20 And it came to pass that when Alma could pursue the Amlicites
no longer he caused that his people should pitch their tents in
the valley of Gideon, the valley being called after that Gideon
who was slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword; and in this
valley the Nephites did pitch their tents for the night.
Alma 2:21
21 And Alma sent spies to follow the remnant of the Amlicites,
that he might know of their plans and their plots, whereby he
might guard himself against them, that he might preserve his
people from being destroyed.
Alma 2:22
22 Now those whom he had sent out to watch the camp of the
Amlicites were called Zeram, and Amnor, and Manti, and Limher;
these were they who went out with their men to watch the camp of
the Amlicites.
Alma 2:23
23 And it came to pass that on the morrow they returned into the
camp of the Nephites in great haste, being greatly astonished,
and struck with much fear, saying:
Alma 2:24
24 Behold, we followed the camp of the Amlicites, and to our
great astonishment, in the land of Minon, above the land of
Zarahemla, in the course of the land of Nephi, we saw a numerous
host of the Lamanites; and behold, the Amlicites have joined
them;
Alma 2:25
25 And they are upon our brethren in that land; and they are
fleeing before them with their flocks, and their wives, and their
children, towards our city; and except we make haste they obtain
possession of our city, and our fathers, and our wives, and our
children be slain.
Alma 2:26
26 And it came to pass that the people of Nephi took their
tents, and departed out of the valley of Gideon towards their
city, which was the city of Zarahemla.
Alma 2:27
27 And behold, as they were crossing the river Sidon, the
Lamanites and the Amlicites, being as numerous almost, as it
were, as the sands of the sea, came upon them to destroy them.
Alma 2:28
28 Nevertheless, the Nephites being strengthened by the hand of
the Lord, having prayed mightily to him that he would deliver
them out of the hands of their enemies, therefore the Lord did
hear their cries, and did strengthen them, and the Lamanites and
the Amlicites did fall before them.
Alma 2:29
29 And it came to pass that Alma fought with Amlici with the
sword, face to face; and they did contend mightily, one with
another.
Alma 2:30
30 And it came to pass that Alma, being a man of God, being
exercised with much faith, cried, saying: O Lord, have mercy and
spare my life, that I may be an instrument in thy hands to save
and preserve this people.
Alma 2:31
31 Now when Alma had said these words he contended again with
Amlici; and he was strengthened, insomuch that he slew Amlici
with the sword.
Alma 2:32
32 And he also contended with the king of the Lamanites; but the
king of the Lamanites fled back from before Alma and sent his
guards to contend with Alma.
Alma 2:33
33 But Alma, with his guards, contended with the guards of the
king of the Lamanites until he slew and drove them back.
Alma 2:34
34 And thus he cleared the ground, or rather the bank, which was
on the west of the river Sidon, throwing the bodies of the
Lamanites who had been slain into the waters of Sidon, that
thereby his people might have room to cross and contend with the
Lamanites and the Amlicites on the west side of the river Sidon.
Alma 2:35
35 And it came to pass that when they had all crossed the river
Sidon that the Lamanites and the Amlicites began to flee before
them, notwithstanding they were so numerous that they could not
be numbered.
Alma 2:36
36 And they fled before the Nephites towards the wilderness
which was west and north, away beyond the borders of the land;
and the Nephites did pursue them with their might, and did slay
them.
Alma 2:37
37 Yea, they were met on every hand, and slain and driven, until
they were scattered on the west, and on the north, until they had
reached the wilderness, which was called Hermounts; and it was
that part of the wilderness which was infested by wild and
ravenous beasts.
Alma 2:38
38 And it came to pass that many died in the wilderness of their
wounds, and were devoured by those beasts and also the vultures
of the air; and their bones have been found, and have been heaped
up on the earth.
Alma 3
Chapter 3
Alma 3:1
1 And it came to pass that the Nephites who were not slain by
the weapons of war, after having buried those who had been
slain--now the number of the slain were not numbered, because of
the greatness of their number--after they had finished burying
their dead they all returned to their lands, and to their houses,
and their wives, and their children.
Alma 3:2
2 Now many women and children had been slain with the sword, and
also many of their flocks and their herds; and also many of their
fields of grain were destroyed, for they were trodden down by the
hosts of men.
Alma 3:3
3 And now as many of the Lamanites and the Amlicites who had
been slain upon the bank of the river Sidon were cast into the
waters of Sidon; and behold their bones are in the depths of the
sea, and they are many.
Alma 3:4
4 And the Amlicites were distinguished from the Nephites, for
they had marked themselves with red in their foreheads after the
manner of the Lamanites; nevertheless they had not shorn their
heads like unto the Lamanites.
Alma 3:5
5 Now the heads of the Lamanites were shorn; and they were
naked, save it were skin which was girded about their loins, and
also their armor, which was girded about them, and their bows,
and their arrows, and their stones, and their slings, and so
forth.
Alma 3:6
6 And the skins of the Lamanites were dark, according to the
mark which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon
them because of their transgression and their rebellion against
their brethren, who consisted of Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph, and
Sam, who were just and holy men.
Alma 3:7
7 And their brethren sought to destroy them, therefore they were
cursed; and the Lord God set a mark upon them, yea, upon Laman
and Lemuel, and also the sons of Ishmael, and Ishmaelitish women.
Alma 3:8
8 And this was done that their seed might be distinguished from
the seed of their brethren, that thereby the Lord God might
preserve his people, that they might not mix and believe in
incorrect traditions which would prove their destruction.
Alma 3:9
9 And it came to pass that whosoever did mingle his seed with
that of the Lamanites did bring the same curse upon his seed.
Alma 3:10
10 Therefore, whosoever suffered himself to be led away by the
Lamanites was called under that head, and there was a mark set
upon him.
Alma 3:11
11 And it came to pass that whosoever would not believe in the
tradition of the Lamanites, but believed those records which were
brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and also in the tradition
of their fathers, which were correct, who believed in the
commandments of God and kept them, were called the Nephites, or
the people of Nephi, from that time forth--
Alma 3:12
12 And it is they who have kept the records which are true of
their people, and also of the people of the Lamanites.
Alma 3:13
13 Now we will return again to the Amlicites, for they also had
a mark set upon them; yea, they set the mark upon themselves,
yea, even a mark of red upon their foreheads.
Alma 3:14
14 Thus the word of God is fulfilled, for these are the words
which he said to Nephi: Behold, the Lamanites have I cursed, and
I will set a mark on them that they and their seed may be
separated from thee and thy seed, from this time henceforth and
forever, except they repent of their wickedness and turn to me
that I may have mercy upon them.
Alma 3:15
15 And again: I will set a mark upon him that mingleth his seed
with thy brethren, that they may be cursed also.
Alma 3:16
16 And again: I will set a mark upon him that fighteth against
thee and thy seed.
Alma 3:17
17 And again, I say he that departeth from thee shall no more be
called thy seed; and I will bless thee, and whomsoever shall be
called thy seed, henceforth and forever; and these were the
promises of the Lord unto Nephi and to his seed.
Alma 3:18
18 Now the Amlicites knew not that they were fulfilling the
words of God when they began to mark themselves in their
foreheads; nevertheless they had come out in open rebellion
against God; therefore it was expedient that the curse should
fall upon them.
Alma 3:19
19 Now I would that ye should see that they brought upon
themselves the curse; and even so doth every man that is cursed
bring upon himself his own condemnation.
Alma 3:20
20 Now it came to pass that not many days after the battle which
was fought in the land of Zarahemla, by the Lamanites and the
Amlicites, that there was another army of the Lamanites came in
upon the people of Nephi, in the same place where the first army
met the Amlicites.
Alma 3:21
21 And it came to pass that there was an army sent to drive them
out of their land.
Alma 3:22
22 Now Alma himself being afflicted with a wound did not go up
to battle at this time against the Lamanites;
Alma 3:23
23 But he sent up a numerous army against them; and they went up
and slew many of the Lamanites, and drove the remainder of them
out of the borders of their land.
Alma 3:24
24 And then they returned again and began to establish peace in
the land, being troubled no more for a time with their enemies.
Alma 3:25
25 Now all these things were done, yea, all these wars and
contentions were commenced and ended in the fifth year of the
reign of the judges.
Alma 3:26
26 And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls
sent to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards
according to their works, whether they were good or whether they
were bad, to reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according
to the spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good
spirit or a bad one.
Alma 3:27
27 For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey,
and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy;
therefore let it be according to the truth. And thus endeth the
fifth year of the reign of the judges.
Alma 4
Chapter 4
Alma 4:1
1 Now it came to pass in the sixth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, there were no contentions nor
wars in the land of Zarahemla;
Alma 4:2
2 But the people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the
loss of their brethren, and also for the loss of their flocks and
herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain, which were
trodden under foot and destroyed by the Lamanites.
Alma 4:3
3 And so great were their afflictions that every soul had cause
to mourn; and they believed that it was the judgments of God sent
upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations;
therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty.
Alma 4:4
4 And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and
many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and were joined to the
church of God; yea, they were baptized by the hand of Alma, who
had been consecrated the high priest over the people of the
church, by the hand of his father Alma.
Alma 4:5
5 And it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the
judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that
united themselves to the church of God and were baptized. And
thus endeth the seventh year of the reign of the judges over the
people of Nephi; and there was continual peace in all that time.
Alma 4:6
6 And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the
judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud, because
of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their
fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds,
and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious
things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all
these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for
they began to wear very costly apparel.
Alma 4:7
7 Now this was the cause of much affliction to Alma, yea, and to
many of the people whom Alma had consecrated to be teachers, and
priests, and elders over the church; yea, many of them were
sorely grieved for the wickedness which they saw had begun to be
among their people.
Alma 4:8
8 For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of
the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and
to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the
world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and
they began to persecute those that did not believe according to
their own will and pleasure.
Alma 4:9
9 And thus, in this eighth year of the reign of the judges,
there began to be great contentions among the people of the
church; yea, there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and
persecutions, and pride, even to exceed the pride of those who
did not belong to the church of God.
Alma 4:10
10 And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges;
and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to
those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began
to fail in its progress.
Alma 4:11
11 And it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year,
Alma saw the wickedness of the church, and he saw also that the
example of the church began to lead those who were unbelievers on
from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the
destruction of the people.
Alma 4:12
12 Yea, he saw great inequality among the people, some lifting
themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their
backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and
those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.
Alma 4:13
13 Now this was a great cause for lamentations among the people,
while others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood
in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the
poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner
of afflictions, for Christ's sake, who should come according to
the spirit of prophecy;
Alma 4:14
14 Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of
their sins; being filled with great joy because of the
resurrection of the dead, according to the will and power and
deliverance of Jesus Christ from the bands of death.
Alma 4:15
15 And now it came to pass that Alma, having seen the
afflictions of the humble followers of God, and the persecutions
which were heaped upon them by the remainder of his people, and
seeing all their inequality, began to be very sorrowful;
nevertheless the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him.
Alma 4:16
16 And he selected a wise man who was among the elders of the
church, and gave him power according to the voice of the people,
that he might have power to enact laws according to the laws
which had been given, and to put them in force according to the
wickedness and the crimes of the people.
Alma 4:17
17 Now this man's name was Nephihah, and he was appointed chief
judge; and he sat in the judgment-seat to judge and to govern the
people.
Alma 4:18
18 Now Alma did not grant unto him the office of being high
priest over the church, but he retained the office of high priest
unto himself; but he delivered the judgment-seat unto Nephihah.
Alma 4:19
19 And this he did that he himself might go forth among his
people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the
word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their
duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the
pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his
people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in
bearing down in pure testimony against them.
Alma 4:20
20 And thus in the commencement of the ninth year of the reign
of the judges over the people of Nephi, Alma delivered up the
judgment-seat to Nephihah, and confined himself wholly to the
high priesthood of the holy order of God, to the testimony of the
word, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy.
Alma 5
Chapter 5
Alma 5:1
1 Now it came to pass that Alma began to deliver the word of God
unto the people, first in the land of Zarahemla, and from thence
throughout all the land.
Alma 5:2
2 And these are the words which he spake to the people in the
church which was established in the city of Zarahemla, according
to his own record, saying:
Alma 5:3
3 I, Alma, having been consecrated by my father, Alma, to be a
high priest over the church of God, he having power and authority
from God to do these things, behold, I say unto you that he began
to establish a church in the land which was in the borders of
Nephi; yea, the land which was called the land of Mormon; yea,
and he did baptize his brethren in the waters of Mormon.
Alma 5:4
4 And behold, I say unto you, they were delivered out of the
hands of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of God.
Alma 5:5
5 And behold, after that, they were brought into bondage by the
hands of the Lamanites in the wilderness; yea, I say unto you,
they were in captivity, and again the Lord did deliver them out
of bondage by the power of his word; and we were brought into
this land, and here we began to establish the church of God
throughout this land also.
Alma 5:6
6 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong
to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the
captivity of your fathers? Yea, and have you sufficiently
retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards
them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance
that he has delivered their souls from hell?
Alma 5:7
7 Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of
a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the
midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by
the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about
by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting
destruction did await them.
Alma 5:8
8 And now I ask of you, my brethren, were they destroyed?
Behold, I say unto you, Nay, they were not.
Alma 5:9
9 And again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the
chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed? I
say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand,
and they did sing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they
are saved.
Alma 5:10
10 And now I ask of you on what conditions are they saved? Yea,
what grounds had they to hope for salvation? What is the cause
of their being loosed from the bands of death, yea, and also the
chains of hell?
Alma 5:11
11 Behold, I can tell you--did not my father Alma believe in the
words which were delivered by the mouth of Abinadi? And was he
not a holy prophet? Did he not speak the words of God, and my
father Alma believe them?
Alma 5:12
12 And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought
in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true.
Alma 5:13
13 And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a
mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled
themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And
behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were
saved.
Alma 5:14
14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have
ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in
your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in
your hearts?
Alma 5:15
15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created
you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this
mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in
incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the
deeds which have been done in the mortal body?
Alma 5:16
16 I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear
the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me
ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of
righteousness upon the face of the earth?
Alma 5:17
17 Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord
in that day, and say--Lord, our works have been righteous works
upon the face of the earth--and that he will save you?
Alma 5:18
18 Or otherwise, can ye imagine yourselves brought before the
tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse,
having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect
remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye
have set at defiance the commandments of God?
Alma 5:19
19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure
heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having
the image of God engraven upon your countenances?
Alma 5:20
20 I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have
yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil?
Alma 5:21
21 I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be
saved; for there can no man be saved except his garments are
washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are
cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has
been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people
from their sins.
Alma 5:22
22 And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel,
if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments
stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what
will these things testify against you?
Alma 5:23
23 Behold will they not testify that ye are murderers, yea, and
also that ye are guilty of all manner of wickedness?
Alma 5:24
24 Behold, my brethren, do ye suppose that such an one can have
a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with
Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose
garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white?
Alma 5:25
25 I say unto you, Nay; except ye make our Creator a liar from
the beginning, or suppose that he is a liar from the beginning,
ye cannot suppose that such can have place in the kingdom of
heaven; but they shall be cast out for they are the children of
the kingdom of the devil.
Alma 5:26
26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have
experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the
song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?
Alma 5:27
27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God?
Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within
yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your
garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of
Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?
Alma 5:28
28 Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are
not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare
quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an
one hath not eternal life.
Alma 5:29
29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of
envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I
would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at
hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an
one is not found guiltless.
Alma 5:30
30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth
make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him
persecutions?
Alma 5:31
31 Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is
at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!
Alma 5:32
32 Yea, even wo unto all ye workers of iniquity; repent, repent,
for the Lord God hath spoken it!
Alma 5:33
33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms
of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I
will receive you.
Alma 5:34
34 Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit
of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and
the waters of life freely;
Alma 5:35
35 Yea, come unto me and bring forth works of righteousness, and
ye shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire--
Alma 5:36
36 For behold, the time is at hand that whosoever bringeth forth
not good fruit, or whosoever doeth not the works of
righteousness, the same have cause to wail and mourn.
Alma 5:37
37 O ye workers of iniquity; ye that are puffed up in the vain
things of the world, ye that have professed to have known the
ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone astray, as sheep
having no shepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath called after
you and is still calling after you, but ye will not hearken unto
his voice!
Alma 5:38
38 Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call you;
yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of
Christ; and if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good
shepherd, to the name by which ye are called, behold, ye are not
the sheep of the good shepherd.
Alma 5:39
39 And now if ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd, of what
fold are ye? Behold, I say unto you, that the devil is your
shepherd, and ye are of his fold; and now, who can deny this?
Behold, I say unto you, whosoever denieth this is a liar and a
child of the devil.
Alma 5:40
40 For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God,
and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil.
Alma 5:41
41 Therefore, if a man bringeth forth good works he hearkeneth
unto the voice of the good shepherd, and he doth follow him; but
whosoever bringeth forth evil works, the same becometh a child of
the devil, for he hearkeneth unto his voice, and doth follow him.
Alma 5:42
42 And whosoever doeth this must receive his wages of him;
therefore, for his wages he receiveth death, as to things
pertaining unto righteousness, being dead unto all good works.
Alma 5:43
43 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should hear me, for I
speak in the energy of my soul; for behold, I have spoken unto
you plainly that ye cannot err, or have spoken according to the
commandments of God.
Alma 5:44
44 For I am called to speak after this manner, according to the
holy order of God, which is in Christ Jesus; yea, I am commanded
to stand and testify unto this people the things which have been
spoken by our fathers concerning the things which are to come.
Alma 5:45
45 And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these
things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that
these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye
suppose that I know of their surety?
Alma 5:46
46 Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the
Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days
that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of
myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them
manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of
revelation which is in me.
Alma 5:47
47 And moreover, I say unto you that it has thus been revealed
unto me, that the words which have been spoken by our fathers are
true, even so according to the spirit of prophecy which is in me,
which is also by the manifestation of the Spirit of God.
Alma 5:48
48 I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall
say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true; and I
say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the
Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy,
and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the
sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly
believeth on his name.
Alma 5:49
49 And now I say unto you that this is the order after which I
am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and
every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all,
both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the
aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea,
to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again.
Alma 5:50
50 Yea, thus saith the Spirit: Repent, all ye ends of the earth,
for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand; yea, the Son of God
cometh in his glory, in his might, majesty, power, and dominion.
Yea, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, that the Spirit saith:
Behold the glory of the King of all the earth; and also the King
of heaven shall very soon shine forth among all the children of
men.
Alma 5:51
51 And also the Spirit saith unto me, yea, crieth unto me with a
mighty voice, saying: Go forth and say unto this people--Repent,
for except ye repent ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of
heaven.
Alma 5:52
52 And again I say unto you, the Spirit saith: Behold, the ax is
laid at the root of the tree; therefore every tree that bringeth
not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire,
yea, a fire which cannot be consumed, even an unquenchable fire.
Behold, and remember, the Holy One hath spoken it.
Alma 5:53
53 And now my beloved brethren, I say unto you, can ye withstand
these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and trample
the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the
pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still persist in the wearing
of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of
the world, upon your riches?
Alma 5:54
54 Yea, will ye persist in supposing that ye are better one than
another; yea, will ye persist in the persecution of your
brethren, who humble themselves and do walk after the holy order
of God, wherewith they have been brought into this church, having
been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works
which are meet for repentance--
Alma 5:55
55 Yea, and will you persist in turning your backs upon the
poor, and the needy, and in withholding your substance from them?
Alma 5:56
56 And finally, all ye that will persist in your wickedness, I
say unto you that these are they who shall be hewn down and cast
into the fire except they speedily repent.
Alma 5:57
57 And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow
the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and
be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things; and behold,
their names shall be blotted out, that the names of the wicked
shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous, that the
word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the
wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people;
Alma 5:58
58 For the names of the righteous shall be written in the book
of life, and unto them will I grant an inheritance at my right
hand. And now, my brethren, what have ye to say against this? I
say unto you, if ye speak against it, it matters not, for the
word of God must be fulfilled.
Alma 5:59
59 For what shepherd is there among you having many sheep doth
not watch over them, that the wolves enter not and devour his
flock? And behold, if a wolf enter his flock doth he not drive
him out? Yea, and at the last, if he can, he will destroy him.
Alma 5:60
60 And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after
you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you
into his fold, and ye are his sheep; and he commandeth you that
ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among you, that ye may not be
destroyed.
Alma 5:61
61 And now I, Alma, do command you in the language of him who
hath commanded me, that ye observe to do the words which I have
spoken unto you.
Alma 5:62
62 I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church;
and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of
invitation, saying: Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye
also may be partakers of the fruit of the tree of life.
Alma 6
Chapter 6
Alma 6:1
1 And now it came to pass that after Alma had made an end of
speaking unto the people of the church, which was established in
the city of Zarahemla, he ordained priests and elders, by laying
on his hands according to the order of God, to preside and watch
over the church.
Alma 6:2
2 And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the
church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance,
and were received into the church.
Alma 6:3
3 And it also came to pass that whosoever did belong to the
church that did not repent of their wickedness and humble
themselves before God--I mean those who were lifted up in the
pride of their hearts--the same were rejected, and their names
were blotted out, that their names were not numbered among those
of the righteous.
Alma 6:4
4 And thus they began to establish the order of the church in
the city of Zarahemla.
Alma 6:5
5 Now I would that ye should understand that the word of God was
liberal unto all, that none were deprived of the privilege of
assembling themselves together to hear the word of God.
Alma 6:6
6 Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they
should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and
mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who
knew not God.
Alma 6:7
7 And now it came to pass that when Alma had made these
regulations he departed from them, yea, from the church which was
in the city of Zarahemla, and went over upon the east of the
river Sidon, into the valley of Gideon, there having been a city
built, which was called the city of Gideon, which was in the
valley that was called Gideon, being called after the man who was
slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword.
Alma 6:8
8 And Alma went and began to declare the word of God unto the
church which was established in the valley of Gideon, according
to the revelation of the truth of the word which had been spoken
by his fathers, and according to the spirit of prophecy which was
in him, according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, who should come to redeem his people from their sins, and
the holy order by which he was called. And thus it is written.
Amen.
Alma 7
Chapter 7
Alma 7:1
1 Behold my beloved brethren, seeing that I have been permitted
to come unto you, therefore I attempt to address you in my
language; yea, by my own mouth, seeing that it is the first time
that I have spoken unto you by the words of my mouth, I having
been wholly confined to the judgment-seat, having had much
business that I could not come unto you.
Alma 7:2
2 And even I could not have come now at this time were it not
that the judgment-seat hath been given to another, to reign in my
stead; and the Lord in much mercy hath granted that I should come
unto you.
Alma 7:3
3 And behold, I have come having great hopes and much desire
that I should find that ye had humbled yourselves before God, and
that ye had continued in the supplicating of his grace, that I
should find that ye were blameless before him, that I should find
that ye were not in the awful dilemma that our brethren were in
at Zarahemla.
Alma 7:4
4 But blessed be the name of God, that he hath given me to know,
yea, hath given unto me the exceedingly great joy of knowing that
they are established again in the way of his righteousness.
Alma 7:5
5 And I trust, according to the Spirit of God which is in me,
that I shall also have joy over you; nevertheless I do not desire
that my joy over you should come by the cause of so much
afflictions and sorrow which I have had for the brethren at
Zarahemla, for behold, my joy cometh over them after wading
through much affliction and sorrow.
Alma 7:6
6 But behold, I trust that ye are not in a state of so much
unbelief as were your brethren; I trust that ye are not lifted up
in the pride of your hearts; yea, I trust that ye have not set
your hearts upon riches and the vain things of the world; yea, I
trust that you do not worship idols, but that ye do worship the
true and living God, and that ye look forward for the remission
of your sins, with an everlasting faith, which is to come.
Alma 7:7
7 For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and
behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they
all--for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer
liveth and cometh among his people.
Alma 7:8
8 Behold, I do not say that he will come among us at the time of
his dwelling in his mortal tabernacle; for behold, the Spirit
hath not said unto me that this should be the case. Now as to
this thing I do not know; but this much I do know, that the Lord
God hath power to do all things which are according to his word.
Alma 7:9
9 But behold, the Spirit hath said this much unto me, saying:
Cry unto this people, saying--Repent ye, and prepare the way of
the Lord, and walk in his paths, which are straight; for behold,
the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and the Son of God cometh upon
the face of the earth.
Alma 7:10
10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is
the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and
chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the
power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son
of God.
Alma 7:11
11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and
temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be
fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the
sicknesses of his people.
Alma 7:12
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands
of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their
infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according
to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to
succor his people according to their infirmities.
Alma 7:13
13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of
God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him
the sins of his people, that he might blot out their
transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now
behold, this is the testimony which is in me.
Alma 7:14
14 Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again;
for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit
the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto
repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may
have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the
world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all
unrighteousness.
Alma 7:15
15 Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every
sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to
destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that
ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant
with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this
day by going into the waters of baptism.
Alma 7:16
16 And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God
from thenceforth, the same will remember that I say unto him,
yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have
eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit,
which testifieth in me.
Alma 7:17
17 And now my beloved brethren, do you believe these things?
Behold, I say unto you, yea, I know that ye believe them; and the
way that I know that ye believe them is by the manifestation of
the Spirit which is in me. And now because your faith is strong
concerning that, yea, concerning the things which I have spoken,
great is my joy.
Alma 7:18
18 For as I said unto you from the beginning, that I had much
desire that ye were not in the state of dilemma like your
brethren, even so I have found that my desires have been
gratified.
Alma 7:19
19 For I perceive that ye are in the paths of righteousness; I
perceive that ye are in the path which leads to the kingdom of
God; yea, I perceive that ye are making his paths straight.
Alma 7:20
20 I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the
testimony of his word, that he cannot walk in crooked paths;
neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath
he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that
which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is
one eternal round.
Alma 7:21
21 And he doth not dwell in unholy temples; neither can
filthiness or anything which is unclean be received into the
kingdom of God; therefore I say unto you the time shall come,
yea, and it shall be at the last day, that he who is filthy shall
remain in his filthiness.
Alma 7:22
22 And now my beloved brethren, I have said these things unto
you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that
ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk after the holy
order of God, after which ye have been received.
Alma 7:23
23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive
and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and
long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in
keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for
whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal;
always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do
receive.
Alma 7:24
24 And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye
will always abound in good works.
Alma 7:25
25 And may the Lord bless you, and keep your garments spotless,
that ye may at last be brought to sit down with Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, and the holy prophets who have been ever since the
world began, having your garments spotless even as their garments
are spotless, in the kingdom of heaven to go no more out.
Alma 7:26
26 And now my beloved brethren, I have spoken these words unto
you according to the Spirit which testifieth in me; and my soul
doth exceedingly rejoice, because of the exceeding diligence and
heed which ye have given unto my word.
Alma 7:27
27 And now, may the peace of God rest upon you, and upon your
houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that
you possess, your women and your children, according to your
faith and good works, from this time forth and forever. And thus
I have spoken. Amen.
Alma 8
Chapter 8
Alma 8:1
1 And now it came to pass that Alma returned from the land of
Gideon, after having taught the people of Gideon many things
which cannot be written, having established the order of the
church, according as he had before done in the land of Zarahemla,
yea, he returned to his own house at Zarahemla to rest himself
from the labors which he had performed.
Alma 8:2
2 And thus ended the ninth year of the reign of the judges over
the people of Nephi.
Alma 8:3
3 And it came to pass in the commencement of the tenth year of
the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma
departed from thence and took his journey over into the land of
Melek, on the west of the river Sidon, on the west by the borders
of the wilderness.
Alma 8:4
4 And he began to teach the people in the land of Melek
according to the holy order of God, by which he had been called;
and he began to teach the people throughout all the land of
Melek.
Alma 8:5
5 And it came to pass that the people came to him throughout all
the borders of the land which was by the wilderness side. And
they were baptized throughout all the land;
Alma 8:6
6 So that when he had finished his work at Melek he departed
thence, and traveled three days' journey on the north of the land
of Melek; and he came to a city which was called Ammonihah.
Alma 8:7
7 Now it was the custom of the people of Nephi to call their
lands, and their cities, and their villages, yea, even all their
small villages, after the name of him who first possessed them;
and thus it was with the land of Ammonihah.
Alma 8:8
8 And it came to pass that when Alma had come to the city of
Ammonihah he began to preach the word of God unto them.
Alma 8:9
9 Now Satan had gotten great hold upon the hearts of the people
of the city of Ammonihah; therefore they would not hearken unto
the words of Alma.
Alma 8:10
10 Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with
God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the
people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he
might baptize them unto repentance.
Alma 8:11
11 Nevertheless, they hardened their hearts, saying unto him:
Behold, we know that thou art Alma; and we know that thou art
high priest over the church which thou hast established in many
parts of the land, according to your tradition; and we are not of
thy church, and we do not believe in such foolish traditions.
Alma 8:12
12 And now we know that because we are not of thy church we know
that thou hast no power over us; and thou hast delivered up the
judgment-seat unto Nephihah; therefore thou art not the chief
judge over us.
Alma 8:13
13 Now when the people had said this, and withstood all his
words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he
should be cast out of their city, he departed thence and took his
journey towards the city which was called Aaron.
Alma 8:14
14 And it came to pass that while he was journeying thither,
being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation
and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who
were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass while Alma was
thus weighed down with sorrow, behold an angel of the Lord
appeared unto him, saying:
Alma 8:15
15 Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and
rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been
faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which
thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that
delivered it unto you.
Alma 8:16
16 And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the
city of Ammonihah, and preach again unto the people of the city;
yea, preach unto them. Yea, say unto them, except they repent
the Lord God will destroy them.
Alma 8:17
17 For behold, they do study at this time that they may destroy
the liberty of thy people, (for thus saith the Lord) which is
contrary to the statutes, and judgments, and commandments which
he has given unto his people.
Alma 8:18
18 Now it came to pass that after Alma had received his message
from the angel of the Lord he returned speedily to the land of
Ammonihah. And he entered the city by another way, yea, by the
way which is on the south of the city of Ammonihah.
Alma 8:19
19 And as he entered the city he was an hungered, and he said to
a man: Will ye give to an humble servant of God something to eat?
Alma 8:20
20 And the man said unto him: I am a Nephite, and I know that
thou art a holy prophet of God, for thou art the man whom an
angel said in a vision: Thou shalt receive. Therefore, go with
me into my house and I will impart unto thee of my food; and I
know that thou wilt be a blessing unto me and my house.
Alma 8:21
21 And it came to pass that the man received him into his house;
and the man was called Amulek; and he brought forth bread and
meat and set before Alma.
Alma 8:22
22 And it came to pass that Alma ate bread and was filled; and
he blessed Amulek and his house, and he gave thanks unto God.
Alma 8:23
23 And after he had eaten and was filled he said unto Amulek: I
am Alma, and am the high priest over the church of God throughout
the land.
Alma 8:24
24 And behold, I have been called to preach the word of God
among all this people, according to the spirit of revelation and
prophecy; and I was in this land and they would not receive me,
but they cast me out and I was about to set my back towards this
land forever.
Alma 8:25
25 But behold, I have been commanded that I should turn again
and prophesy unto this people, yea, and to testify against them
concerning their iniquities.
Alma 8:26
26 And now, Amulek, because thou hast fed me and taken me in,
thou art blessed; for I was an hungered, for I had fasted many
days.
Alma 8:27
27 And Alma tarried many days with Amulek before he began to
preach unto the people.
Alma 8:28
28 And it came to pass that the people did wax more gross in
their iniquities.
Alma 8:29
29 And the word came to Alma, saying: Go; and also say unto my
servant Amulek, go forth and prophesy unto this people,
saying--Repent ye, for thus saith the Lord, except ye repent I
will visit this people in mine anger; yea, and I will not turn my
fierce anger away.
Alma 8:30
30 And Alma went forth, and also Amulek, among the people, to
declare the words of God unto them; and they were filled with the
Holy Ghost.
Alma 8:31
31 And they had power given unto them, insomuch that they could
not be confined in dungeons; neither was it possible that any man
could slay them; nevertheless they did not exercise their power
until they were bound in bands and cast into prison. Now, this
was done that the Lord might show forth his power in them.
Alma 8:32
32 And it came to pass that they went forth and began to preach
and to prophesy unto the people, according to the spirit and
power which the Lord had given them.
Alma 9
Chapter 9
Alma 9:1
1 And again, I, Alma, having been commanded of God that I should
take Amulek and go forth and preach again unto this people, or
the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass as
I began to preach unto them, they began to contend with me,
saying:
Alma 9:2
2 Who art thou? Suppose ye that we shall believe the testimony
of one man, although he should preach unto us that the earth
should pass away?
Alma 9:3
3 Now they understood not the words which they spake; for they
knew not that the earth should pass away.
Alma 9:4
4 And they said also: We will not believe thy words if thou
shouldst prophesy that this great city should be destroyed in one
day.
Alma 9:5
5 Now they knew not that God could do such marvelous works, for
they were a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people.
Alma 9:6
6 And they said: Who is God, that sendeth no more authority than
one man among this people, to declare unto them the truth of such
great and marvelous things?
Alma 9:7
7 And they stood forth to lay their hands on me; but behold,
they did not. And I stood with boldness to declare unto them,
yea, I did boldly testify unto them, saying:
Alma 9:8
8 Behold, O ye wicked and perverse generation, how have ye
forgotten the tradition of your fathers; yea, how soon ye have
forgotten the commandments of God.
Alma 9:9
9 Do ye not remember that our father, Lehi, was brought out of
Jerusalem by the hand of God? Do ye not remember that they were
all led by him through the wilderness?
Alma 9:10
10 And have ye forgotten so soon how many times he delivered our
fathers out of the hands of their enemies, and preserved them
from being destroyed, even by the hands of their own brethren?
Alma 9:11
11 Yea, and if it had not been for his matchless power, and his
mercy, and his long-suffering towards us, we should unavoidably
have been cut off from the face of the earth long before this
period of time, and perhaps been consigned to a state of endless
misery and woe.
Alma 9:12
12 Behold, now I say unto you that he commandeth you to repent;
and except ye repent, ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of
God. But behold, this is not all--he has commanded you to
repent, or he will utterly destroy you from off the face of the
earth; yea, he will visit you in his anger, and in his fierce
anger he will not turn away.
Alma 9:13
13 Behold, do ye not remember the words which he spake unto
Lehi, saying that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye
shall prosper in the land? And again it is said that: Inasmuch
as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from the
presence of the Lord.
Alma 9:14
14 Now I would that ye should remember, that inasmuch as the
Lamanites have not kept the commandments of God, they have been
cut off from the presence of the Lord. Now we see that the word
of the Lord has been verified in this thing, and the Lamanites
have been cut off from his presence, from the beginning of their
transgressions in the land.
Alma 9:15
15 Nevertheless I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable
for them in the day of judgment than for you, if ye remain in
your sins, yea, and even more tolerable for them in this life
than for you, except ye repent.
Alma 9:16
16 For there are many promises which are extended to the
Lamanites; for it is because of the traditions of their fathers
that caused them to remain in their state of ignorance; therefore
the Lord will be merciful unto them and prolong their existence
in the land.
Alma 9:17
17 And at some period of time they will be brought to believe in
his word, and to know of the incorrectness of the traditions of
their fathers; and many of them will be saved, for the Lord will
be merciful unto all who call on his name.
Alma 9:18
18 But behold, I say unto you that if ye persist in your
wickedness that your days shall not be prolonged in the land, for
the Lamanites shall be sent upon you; and if ye repent not they
shall come in a time when you know not, and ye shall be visited
with utter destruction; and it shall be according to the fierce
anger of the Lord.
Alma 9:19
19 For he will not suffer you that ye shall live in your
iniquities, to destroy his people. I say unto you, Nay; he would
rather suffer that the Lamanites might destroy all his people who
are called the people of Nephi, if it were possible that they
could fall into sins and transgressions, after having had so much
light and so much knowledge given unto them of the Lord their
God;
Alma 9:20
20 Yea, after having been such a highly favored people of the
Lord; yea, after having been favored above every other nation,
kindred, tongue, or people; after having had all things made
known unto them, according to their desires, and their faith, and
prayers, of that which has been, and which is, and which is to
come;
Alma 9:21
21 Having been visited by the Spirit of God; having conversed
with angels, and having been spoken unto by the voice of the
Lord; and having the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of
revelation, and also many gifts, the gift of speaking with
tongues, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy
Ghost, and the gift of translation;
Alma 9:22
22 Yea, and after having been delivered of God out of the land
of Jerusalem, by the hand of the Lord; having been saved from
famine, and from sickness, and all manner of diseases of every
kind; and they having waxed strong in battle, that they might not
be destroyed; having been brought out of bondage time after time,
and having been kept and preserved until now; and they have been
prospered until they are rich in all manner of things--
Alma 9:23
23 And now behold I say unto you, that if this people, who have
received so many blessings from the hand of the Lord, should
transgress contrary to the light and knowledge which they do
have, I say unto you that if this be the case, that if they
should fall into transgression, it would be far more tolerable
for the Lamanites than for them.
Alma 9:24
24 For behold, the promises of the Lord are extended to the
Lamanites, but they are not unto you if ye transgress; for has
not the Lord expressly promised and firmly decreed, that if ye
will rebel against him that ye shall utterly be destroyed from
off the face of the earth?
Alma 9:25
25 And now for this cause, that ye may not be destroyed, the
Lord has sent his angel to visit many of his people, declaring
unto them that they must go forth and cry mightily unto this
people, saying: Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is nigh at
hand;
Alma 9:26
26 And not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his
glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of
the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience,
mercy, and long-suffering, quick to hear the cries of his people
and to answer their prayers.
Alma 9:27
27 And behold, he cometh to redeem those who will be baptized
unto repentance, through faith on his name.
Alma 9:28
28 Therefore, prepare ye the way of the Lord, for the time is at
hand that all men shall reap a reward of their works, according
to that which they have been--if they have been righteous they
shall reap the salvation of their souls, according to the power
and deliverance of Jesus Christ; and if they have been evil they
shall reap the damnation of their souls, according to the power
and captivation of the devil.
Alma 9:29
29 Now behold, this is the voice of the angel, crying unto the
people.
Alma 9:30
30 And now, my beloved brethren, for ye are my brethren, and ye
ought to be beloved, and ye ought to bring forth works which are
meet for repentance, seeing that your hearts have been grossly
hardened against the word of God, and seeing that ye are a lost
and a fallen people.
Alma 9:31
31 Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these
words, behold, the people were wroth with me because I said unto
them that they were a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people.
Alma 9:32
32 And also because I said unto them that they were a lost and a
fallen people they were angry with me, and sought to lay their
hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison.
Alma 9:33
33 But it came to pass that the Lord did not suffer them that
they should take me at that time and cast me into prison.
Alma 9:34
34 And it came to pass that Amulek went and stood forth, and
began to preach unto them also. And now the words of Amulek are
not all written, nevertheless a part of his words are written in
this book.
Alma 10
Chapter 10
Alma 10:1
1 Now these are the words which Amulek preached unto the people
who were in the land of Ammonihah, saying:
Alma 10:2
2 I am Amulek; I am the son of Giddonah, who was the son of
Ishmael, who was a descendant of Aminadi; and it was the same
Aminadi who interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of
the temple, which was written by the finger of God.
Alma 10:3
3 And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of
Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant
of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by
the hands of his brethren.
Alma 10:4
4 And behold, I am also a man of no small reputation among all
those who know me; yea, and behold, I have many kindreds and
friends, and I have also acquired much riches by the hand of my
industry.
Alma 10:5
5 Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the
ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said
I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake,
for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power;
yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people.
Alma 10:6
6 Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was called many
times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these
things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling
against God, in the wickedness of my heart, even until the fourth
day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the
reign of the judges.
Alma 10:7
7 As I was journeying to see a very near kindred, behold an
angel of the Lord appeared unto me and said: Amulek, return to
thine own house, for thou shalt feed a prophet of the Lord; yea,
a holy man, who is a chosen man of God; for he has fasted many
days because of the sins of this people, and he is an hungered,
and thou shalt receive him into thy house and feed him, and he
shall bless thee and thy house; and the blessing of the Lord
shall rest upon thee and thy house.
Alma 10:8
8 And it came to pass that I obeyed the voice of the angel, and
returned towards my house. And as I was going thither I found
the man whom the angel said unto me: Thou shalt receive into thy
house--and behold it was this same man who has been speaking unto
you concerning the things of God.
Alma 10:9
9 And the angel said unto me he is a holy man; wherefore I know
he is a holy man because it was said by an angel of God.
Alma 10:10
10 And again, I know that the things whereof he hath testified
are true; for behold I say unto you, that as the Lord liveth,
even so has he sent his angel to make these things manifest unto
me; and this he has done while this Alma hath dwelt at my house.
Alma 10:11
11 For behold, he hath blessed mine house, he hath blessed me,
and my women, and my children, and my father and my kinsfolk;
yea, even all my kindred hath he blessed, and the blessing of the
Lord hath rested upon us according to the words which he spake.
Alma 10:12
12 And now, when Amulek had spoken these words the people began
to be astonished, seeing there was more than one witness who
testified of the things whereof they were accused, and also of
the things which were to come, according to the spirit of
prophecy which was in them.
Alma 10:13
13 Nevertheless, there were some among them who thought to
question them, that by their cunning devices they might catch
them in their words, that they might find witness against them,
that they might deliver them to their judges that they might be
judged according to the law, and that they might be slain or cast
into prison, according to the crime which they could make appear
or witness against them.
Alma 10:14
14 Now it was those men who sought to destroy them, who were
lawyers, who were hired or appointed by the people to administer
the law at their times of trials, or at the trials of the crimes
of the people before the judges.
Alma 10:15
15 Now these lawyers were learned in all the arts and cunning of
the people; and this was to enable them that they might be
skilful in their profession.
Alma 10:16
16 And it came to pass that they began to question Amulek, that
thereby they might make him cross his words, or contradict the
words which he should speak.
Alma 10:17
17 Now they knew not that Amulek could know of their designs.
But it came to pass as they began to question him, he perceived
their thoughts, and he said unto them: O ye wicked and perverse
generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites, for ye are laying the
foundation of the devil; for ye are laying traps and snares to
catch the holy ones of God.
Alma 10:18
18 Ye are laying plans to pervert the ways of the righteous, and
to bring down the wrath of God upon your heads, even to the utter
destruction of this people.
Alma 10:19
19 Yea, well did Mosiah say, who was our last king, when he was
about to deliver up the kingdom, having no one to confer it upon,
causing that this people should be governed by their own
voices--yea, well did he say that if the time should come that
the voice of this people should choose iniquity, that is, if the
time should come that this people should fall into transgression,
they would be ripe for destruction.
Alma 10:20
20 And now I say unto you that well doth the Lord judge of your
iniquities; well doth he cry unto this people, by the voice of
his angels: Repent ye, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand.
Alma 10:21
21 Yea, well doth he cry, by the voice of his angels that: I
will come down among my people, with equity and justice in my
hands.
Alma 10:22
22 Yea, and I say unto you that if it were not for the prayers
of the righteous, who are now in the land, that ye would even now
be visited with utter destruction; yet it would not be by flood,
as were the people in the days of Noah, but it would be by
famine, and by pestilence, and the sword.
Alma 10:23
23 But it is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared;
now therefore, if ye will cast out the righteous from among you
then will not the Lord stay his hand; but in his fierce anger he
will come out against you; then ye shall be smitten by famine,
and by pestilence, and by the sword; and the time is soon at hand
except ye repent.
Alma 10:24
24 And now it came to pass that the people were more angry with
Amulek, and they cried out, saying: This man doth revile against
our laws which are just, and our wise lawyers whom we have
selected.
Alma 10:25
25 But Amulek stretched forth his hand, and cried the mightier
unto them, saying: O ye wicked and perverse generation, why hath
Satan got such great hold upon your hearts? Why will ye yield
yourselves unto him that he may have power over you, to blind
your eyes, that ye will not understand the words which are
spoken, according to their truth?
Alma 10:26
26 For behold, have I testified against your law? Ye do not
understand; ye say that I have spoken against your law; but I
have not, but I have spoken in favor of your law, to your
condemnation.
Alma 10:27
27 And now behold, I say unto you, that the foundation of the
destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the
unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges.
Alma 10:28
28 And now it came to pass that when Amulek had spoken these
words the people cried out against him, saying: Now we know that
this man is a child of the devil, for he hath lied unto us; for
he hath spoken against our law. And now he says that he has not
spoken against it.
Alma 10:29
29 And again, he has reviled against our lawyers, and our
judges.
Alma 10:30
30 And it came to pass that the lawyers put it into their hearts
that they should remember these things against him.
Alma 10:31
31 And there was one among them whose name was Zeezrom. Now he
was the foremost to accuse Amulek and Alma, he being one of the
most expert among them, having much business to do among the
people.
Alma 10:32
32 Now the object of these lawyers was to get gain; and they got
gain according to their employ.
Alma 11
Chapter 11
Alma 11:1
1 Now it was in the law of Mosiah that every man who was a judge
of the law, or those who were appointed to be judges, should
receive wages according to the time which they labored to judge
those who were brought before them to be judged.
Alma 11:2
2 Now if a man owed another, and he would not pay that which he
did owe, he was complained of to the judge; and the judge
executed authority, and sent forth officers that the man should
be brought before him; and he judged the man according to the law
and the evidences which were brought against him, and thus the
man was compelled to pay that which he owed, or be stripped, or
be cast out from among the people as a thief and a robber.
Alma 11:3
3 And the judge received for his wages according to his time--a
senine of gold for a day, or a senum of silver, which is equal to
a senine of gold; and this is according to the law which was
given.
Alma 11:4
4 Now these are the names of the different pieces of their gold,
and of their silver, according to their value. And the names are
given by the Nephites, for they did not reckon after the manner
of the Jews who were at Jerusalem; neither did they measure after
the manner of the Jews; but they altered their reckoning and
their measure, according to the minds and the circumstances of
the people, in every generation, until the reign of the judges,
they having been established by king Mosiah.
Alma 11:5
5 Now the reckoning is thus--a senine of gold, a seon of gold, a
shum of gold, and a limnah of gold.
Alma 11:6
6 A senum of silver, an amnor of silver, an ezrom of silver, and
an onti of silver.
Alma 11:7
7 A senum of silver was equal to a senine of gold, and either
for a measure of barley, and also for a measure of every kind of
grain.
Alma 11:8
8 Now the amount of a seon of gold was twice the value of a
senine.
Alma 11:9
9 And a shum of gold was twice the value of a seon.
Alma 11:10
10 And a limnah of gold was the value of them all.
Alma 11:11
11 And an amnor of silver was as great as two senums.
Alma 11:12
12 And an ezrom of silver was as great as four senums.
Alma 11:13
13 And an onti was as great as them all.
Alma 11:14
14 Now this is the value of the lesser numbers of their
reckoning--
Alma 11:15
15 A shiblon is half of a senum; therefore, a shiblon for half a
measure of barley.
Alma 11:16
16 And a shiblum is a half of a shiblon.
Alma 11:17
17 And a leah is the half of a shiblum.
Alma 11:18
18 Now this is their number, according to their reckoning.
Alma 11:19
19 Now an antion of gold is equal to three shiblons.
Alma 11:20
20 Now, it was for the sole purpose to get gain, because they
received their wages according to their employ, therefore, they
did stir up the people to riotings, and all manner of
disturbances and wickedness, that they might have more employ,
that they might get money according to the suits which were
brought before them; therefore they did stir up the people
against Alma and Amulek.
Alma 11:21
21 And this Zeezrom began to question Amulek, saying: Will ye
answer me a few questions which I shall ask you? Now Zeezrom was
a man who was expert in the devices of the devil, that he might
destroy that which was good; therefore, he said unto Amulek: Will
ye answer the questions which I shall put unto you?
Alma 11:22
22 And Amulek said unto him: Yea, if it be according to the
Spirit of the Lord, which is in me; for I shall say nothing which
is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord. And Zeezrom said unto
him: Behold, here are six onties of silver, and all these will I
give thee if thou wilt deny the existence of a Supreme Being.
Alma 11:23
23 Now Amulek said: O thou child of hell, why tempt ye me?
Knowest thou that the righteous yieldeth to no such temptations?
Alma 11:24
24 Believest thou that there is no God? I say unto you, Nay,
thou knowest that there is a God, but thou lovest that lucre more
than him.
Alma 11:25
25 And now thou hast lied before God unto me. Thou saidst unto
me--Behold these six onties, which are of great worth, I will
give unto thee--when thou hadst it in thy heart to retain them
from me; and it was only thy desire that I should deny the true
and living God, that thou mightest have cause to destroy me. And
now behold, for this great evil thou shalt have thy reward.
Alma 11:26
26 And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest there is a true and
living God?
Alma 11:27
27 And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God.
Alma 11:28
28 Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God?
Alma 11:29
29 And he answered, No.
Alma 11:30
30 Now Zeezrom said unto him again: How knowest thou these
things?
Alma 11:31
31 And he said: An angel hath made them known unto me.
Alma 11:32
32 And Zeezrom said again: Who is he that shall come? Is it the
Son of God?
Alma 11:33
33 And he said unto him, Yea.
Alma 11:34
34 And Zeezrom said again: Shall he save his people in their
sins? And Amulek answered and said unto him: I say unto you he
shall not, for it is impossible for him to deny his word.
Alma 11:35
35 Now Zeezrom said unto the people: See that ye remember these
things; for he said there is but one God; yet he saith that the
Son of God shall come, but he shall not save his people--as
though he had authority to command God.
Alma 11:36
36 Now Amulek saith again unto him: Behold thou hast lied, for
thou sayest that I spake as though I had authority to command God
because I said he shall not save his people in their sins.
Alma 11:37
37 And I say unto you again that he cannot save them in their
sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no
unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how
can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven?
Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins.
Alma 11:38
38 Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very
Eternal Father?
Alma 11:39
39 And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal Father
of heaven and of earth, and all things which in them are; he is
the beginning and the end, the first and the last;
Alma 11:40
40 And he shall come into the world to redeem his people; and he
shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on
his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and
salvation cometh to none else.
Alma 11:41
41 Therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no
redemption made, except it be the loosing of the bands of death;
for behold, the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and
stand before God, and be judged according to their works.
Alma 11:42
42 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and
the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death,
that all shall be raised from this temporal death.
Alma 11:43
43 The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its
perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper
frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought
to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a
bright recollection of all our guilt.
Alma 11:44
44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young,
both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the
righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their
heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect
frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be
arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father,
and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged
according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be
evil.
Alma 11:45
45 Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of
the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the
mortal body. I say unto you that this mortal body is raised to
an immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death
unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with
their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming
spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption.
Alma 11:46
46 Now, when Amulek had finished these words the people began
again to be astonished, and also Zeezrom began to tremble. And
thus ended the words of Amulek, or this is all that I have
written.
Alma 12
Chapter 12
Alma 12:1
1 Now Alma, seeing that the words of Amulek had silenced
Zeezrom, for he beheld that Amulek had caught him in his lying
and deceiving to destroy him, and seeing that he began to tremble
under a consciousness of his guilt, he opened his mouth and began
to speak unto him, and to establish the words of Amulek, and to
explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that
which Amulek had done.
Alma 12:2
2 Now the words that Alma spake unto Zeezrom were heard by the
people round about; for the multitude was great, and he spake on
this wise:
Alma 12:3
3 Now Zeezrom, seeing that thou hast been taken in thy lying and
craftiness, for thou hast not lied unto men only but thou hast
lied unto God; for behold, he knows all thy thoughts, and thou
seest that thy thoughts are made known unto us by his Spirit;
Alma 12:4
4 And thou seest that we know that thy plan was a very subtle
plan, as to the subtlety of the devil, for to lie and to deceive
this people that thou mightest set them against us, to revile us
and to cast us out--
Alma 12:5
5 Now this was a plan of thine adversary, and he hath exercised
his power in thee. Now I would that ye should remember that what
I say unto thee I say unto all.
Alma 12:6
6 And behold I say unto you all that this was a snare of the
adversary, which he has laid to catch this people, that he might
bring you into subjection unto him, that he might encircle you
about with his chains, that he might chain you down to
everlasting destruction, according to the power of his captivity.
Alma 12:7
7 Now when Alma had spoken these words, Zeezrom began to tremble
more exceedingly, for he was convinced more and more of the power
of God; and he was also convinced that Alma and Amulek had a
knowledge of him, for he was convinced that they knew the
thoughts and intents of his heart; for power was given unto them
that they might know of these things according to the spirit of
prophecy.
Alma 12:8
8 And Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he might
know more concerning the kingdom of God. And he said unto Alma:
What does this mean which Amulek hath spoken concerning the
resurrection of the dead, that all shall rise from the dead, both
the just and the unjust, and are brought to stand before God to
be judged according to their works?
Alma 12:9
9 And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying:
It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless
they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart
only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant
unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence
which they give unto him.
Alma 12:10
10 And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same
receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not
harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the
word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God
until he know them in full.
Alma 12:11
11 And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the
lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his
mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led
by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by
the chains of hell.
Alma 12:12
12 And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and being
raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being
brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our
works.
Alma 12:13
13 Then if our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have
hardened our hearts against the word, insomuch that it has not
been found in us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall
be condemned.
Alma 12:14
14 For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will
condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will
also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to
look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command
the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his
presence.
Alma 12:15
15 But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before him
in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and
dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his
judgments are just; that he is just in all his works, and that he
is merciful unto the children of men, and that he has all power
to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth
fruit meet for repentance.
Alma 12:16
16 And now behold, I say unto you then cometh a death, even a
second death, which is a spiritual death; then is a time that
whosoever dieth in his sins, as to a temporal death, shall also
die a spiritual death; yea, he shall die as to things pertaining
unto righteousness.
Alma 12:17
17 Then is the time when their torments shall be as a lake of
fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever;
and then is the time that they shall be chained down to an
everlasting destruction, according to the power and captivity of
Satan, he having subjected them according to his will.
Alma 12:18
18 Then, I say unto you, they shall be as though there had been
no redemption made; for they cannot be redeemed according to
God's justice; and they cannot die, seeing there is no more
corruption.
Alma 12:19
19 Now it came to pass that when Alma had made an end of
speaking these words, the people began to be more astonished;
Alma 12:20
20 But there was one Antionah, who was a chief ruler among them,
came forth and said unto him: What is this that thou hast said,
that man should rise from the dead and be changed from this
mortal to an immortal state that the soul can never die?
Alma 12:21
21 What does the scripture mean, which saith that God placed
cherubim and a flaming sword on the east of the garden of Eden,
lest our first parents should enter and partake of the fruit of
the tree of life, and live forever? And thus we see that there
was no possible chance that they should live forever.
Alma 12:22
22 Now Alma said unto him: This is the thing which I was about
to explain, now we see that Adam did fall by the partaking of the
forbidden fruit, according to the word of God; and thus we see,
that by his fall, all mankind became a lost and fallen people.
Alma 12:23
23 And now behold, I say unto you that if it had been possible
for Adam to have partaken of the fruit of the tree of life at
that time, there would have been no death, and the word would
have been void, making God a liar, for he said: If thou eat thou
shalt surely die.
Alma 12:24
24 And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death
which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death;
nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might
repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time
to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state
which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection
of the dead.
Alma 12:25
25 Now, if it had not been for the plan of redemption, which was
laid from the foundation of the world, there could have been no
resurrection of the dead; but there was a plan of redemption
laid, which shall bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, of
which has been spoken.
Alma 12:26
26 And now behold, if it were possible that our first parents
could have gone forth and partaken of the tree of life they would
have been forever miserable, having no preparatory state; and
thus the plan of redemption would have been frustrated, and the
word of God would have been void, taking none effect.
Alma 12:27
27 But behold, it was not so; but it was appointed unto men that
they must die; and after death, they must come to judgment, even
that same judgment of which we have spoken, which is the end.
Alma 12:28
28 And after God had appointed that these things should come
unto man, behold, then he saw that it was expedient that man
should know concerning the things whereof he had appointed unto
them;
Alma 12:29
29 Therefore he sent angels to converse with them, who caused
men to behold of his glory.
Alma 12:30
30 And they began from that time forth to call on his name;
therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the
plan of redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation
of the world; and this he made known unto them according to their
faith and repentance and their holy works.
Alma 12:31
31 Wherefore, he gave commandments unto men, they having first
transgressed the first commandments as to things which were
temporal, and becoming as Gods, knowing good from evil, placing
themselves in a state to act, or being placed in a state to act
according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to
do good--
Alma 12:32
32 Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made
known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do
evil, the penalty thereof being a second death, which was an
everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; for
on such the plan of redemption could have no power, for the works
of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme
goodness of God.
Alma 12:33
33 But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being
the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent
and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you,
through mine Only Begotten Son;
Alma 12:34
34 Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart,
he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto
a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest.
Alma 12:35
35 And whosoever will harden his heart and will do iniquity,
behold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into my rest.
Alma 12:36
36 And now, my brethren, behold I say unto you, that if ye will
harden your hearts ye shall not enter into the rest of the Lord;
therefore your iniquity provoketh him that he sendeth down his
wrath upon you as in the first provocation, yea, according to his
word in the last provocation as well as the first, to the
everlasting destruction of your souls; therefore, according to
his word, unto the last death, as well as the first.
Alma 12:37
37 And now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and they
are true, let us repent, and harden not our hearts, that we
provoke not the Lord our God to pull down his wrath upon us in
these his second commandments which he has given unto us; but let
us enter into the rest of God, which is prepared according to his
word.
Alma 13
Chapter 13
Alma 13:1
1 And again, my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the
time when the Lord God gave these commandments unto his children;
and I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained
priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his
Son, to teach these things unto the people.
Alma 13:2
2 And those priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in
a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to
look forward to his Son for redemption.
Alma 13:3
3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained--being
called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to
the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and
good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil;
therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly
great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy
calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory
redemption for such.
Alma 13:4
4 And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account
of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on
account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their
minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as
great privilege as their brethren.
Alma 13:5
5 Or in fine, in the first place they were on the same standing
with their brethren; thus this holy calling being prepared from
the foundation of the world for such as would not harden their
hearts, being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten
Son, who was prepared--
Alma 13:6
6 And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto
the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his
commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter
into his rest--
Alma 13:7
7 This high priesthood being after the order of his Son, which
order was from the foundation of the world; or in other words,
being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared
from eternity to all eternity, according to his foreknowledge of
all things--
Alma 13:8
8 Now they were ordained after this manner--being called with a
holy calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon
them the high priesthood of the holy order, which calling, and
ordinance, and high priesthood, is without beginning or end--
Alma 13:9
9 Thus they become high priests forever, after the order of the
Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of
days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity, and truth.
And thus it is. Amen.
Alma 13:10
10 Now, as I said concerning the holy order, or this high
priesthood, there were many who were ordained and became high
priests of God; and it was on account of their exceeding faith
and repentance, and their righteousness before God, they choosing
to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish;
Alma 13:11
11 Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were
sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the
blood of the Lamb.
Alma 13:12
12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having
their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God,
could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there
were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered
into the rest of the Lord their God.
Alma 13:13
13 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble
yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance,
that ye may also enter into that rest.
Alma 13:14
14 Yea, humble yourselves even as the people in the days of
Melchizedek, who was also a high priest after this same order
which I have spoken, who also took upon him the high priesthood
forever.
Alma 13:15
15 And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes;
yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all
he possessed.
Alma 13:16
16 Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that
thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being
a type of his order, or it being his order, and this that they
might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that
they might enter into the rest of the Lord.
Alma 13:17
17 Now this Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem; and
his people had waxed strong in iniquity and abomination; yea,
they had all gone astray; they were full of all manner of
wickedness;
Alma 13:18
18 But Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received
the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of
God, did preach repentance unto his people. And behold, they did
repent; and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his
days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the
king of Salem; and he did reign under his father.
Alma 13:19
19 Now, there were many before him, and also there were many
afterwards, but none were greater; therefore, of him they have
more particularly made mention.
Alma 13:20
20 Now I need not rehearse the matter; what I have said may
suffice. Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest
them it shall be to your own destruction.
Alma 13:21
21 And now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words
unto them, he stretched forth his hand unto them and cried with a
mighty voice, saying: Now is the time to repent, for the day of
salvation draweth nigh;
Alma 13:22
22 Yea, and the voice of the Lord, by the mouth of angels, doth
declare it unto all nations; yea, doth declare it, that they may
have glad tidings of great joy; yea, and he doth sound these glad
tidings among all his people, yea, even to them that are
scattered abroad upon the face of the earth; wherefore they have
come unto us.
Alma 13:23
23 And they are made known unto us in plain terms, that we may
understand, that we cannot err; and this because of our being
wanderers in a strange land; therefore, we are thus highly
favored, for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in all
parts of our vineyard.
Alma 13:24
24 For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in
our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of
the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming
in his glory.
Alma 13:25
25 And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us
by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we
know not how soon. Would to God that it might be in my day; but
let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice.
Alma 13:26
26 And it shall be made known unto just and holy men, by the
mouth of angels, at the time of his coming, that the words of our
fathers may be fulfilled, according to that which they have
spoken concerning him, which was according to the spirit of
prophecy which was in them.
Alma 13:27
27 And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my
heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would
hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not
procrastinate the day of your repentance;
Alma 13:28
28 But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call
on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not
be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the
Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of
love and all long-suffering;
Alma 13:29
29 Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive
eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that
ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.
Alma 13:30
30 And may the Lord grant unto you repentance, that ye may not
bring down his wrath upon you, that ye may not be bound down by
the chains of hell, that ye may not suffer the second death.
Alma 13:31
31 And Alma spake many more words unto the people, which are not
written in this book.
Alma 14
Chapter 14
Alma 14:1
1 And it came to pass after he had made an end of speaking unto
the people many of them did believe on his words, and began to
repent, and to search the scriptures.
Alma 14:2
2 But the more part of them were desirous that they might
destroy Alma and Amulek; for they were angry with Alma, because
of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom; and they also said
that Amulek had lied unto them, and had reviled against their law
and also against their lawyers and judges.
Alma 14:3
3 And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek; and because
they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they
sought to put them away privily.
Alma 14:4
4 But it came to pass that they did not; but they took them and
bound them with strong cords, and took them before the chief
judge of the land.
Alma 14:5
5 And the people went forth and witnessed against
them--testifying that they had reviled against the law, and their
lawyers and judges of the land, and also of all the people that
were in the land; and also testified that there was but one God,
and that he should send his Son among the people, but he should
not save them; and many such things did the people testify
against Alma and Amulek. Now this was done before the chief
judge of the land.
Alma 14:6
6 And it came to pass that Zeezrom was astonished at the words
which had been spoken; and he also knew concerning the blindness
of the minds, which he had caused among the people by his lying
words; and his soul began to be harrowed up under a consciousness
of his own guilt; yea, he began to be encircled about by the
pains of hell.
Alma 14:7
7 And it came to pass that he began to cry unto the people,
saying: Behold, I am guilty, and these men are spotless before
God. And he began to plead for them from that time forth; but
they reviled him, saying: Art thou also possessed with the devil?
And they spit upon him, and cast him out from among them, and
also all those who believed in the words which had been spoken by
Alma and Amulek; and they cast them out, and sent men to cast
stones at them.
Alma 14:8
8 And they brought their wives and children together, and
whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of
God they caused that they should be cast into the fire, and they
also brought forth their records which contained the holy
scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be
burned and destroyed by fire.
Alma 14:9
9 And it came to pass that they took Alma and Amulek, and
carried them forth to the place of martyrdom, that they might
witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire.
Alma 14:10
10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who
were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto
Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us
stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is
in us, and save them from the flames.
Alma 14:11
11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I
must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth
them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may
do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them,
according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments
which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and
the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them,
yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.
Alma 14:12
12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us
also.
Alma 14:13
13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. But,
behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.
Alma 14:14
14 Now it came to pass that when the bodies of those who had
been cast into the fire were consumed, and also the records which
were cast in with them, the chief judge of the land came and
stood before Alma and Amulek, as they were bound; and he smote
them with his hand upon their cheeks, and said unto them: After
what ye have seen, will ye preach again unto this people, that
they shall be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone?
Alma 14:15
15 Behold, ye see that ye had not power to save those who had
been cast into the fire; neither has God saved them because they
were of thy faith. And the judge smote them again upon their
cheeks, and asked: What say ye for yourselves?
Alma 14:16
16 Now this judge was after the order and faith of Nehor, who
slew Gideon.
Alma 14:17
17 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek answered him
nothing; and he smote them again, and delivered them to the
officers to be cast into prison.
Alma 14:18
18 And when they had been cast into prison three days, there
came many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers, who
were of the profession of Nehor; and they came in unto the prison
to see them, and they questioned them about many words; but they
answered them nothing.
Alma 14:19
19 And it came to pass that the judge stood before them, and
said: Why do ye not answer the words of this people? Know ye not
that I have power to deliver you up unto the flames? And he
commanded them to speak; but they answered nothing.
Alma 14:20
20 And it came to pass that they departed and went their ways,
but came again on the morrow; and the judge also smote them again
on their cheeks. And many came forth also, and smote them,
saying: Will ye stand again and judge this people, and condemn
our law? If ye have such great power why do ye not deliver
yourselves?
Alma 14:21
21 And many such things did they say unto them, gnashing their
teeth upon them, and spitting upon them, and saying: How shall we
look when we are damned?
Alma 14:22
22 And many such things, yea, all manner of such things did they
say unto them; and thus they did mock them for many days. And
they did withhold food from them that they might hunger, and
water that they might thirst; and they also did take from them
their clothes that they were naked; and thus they were bound with
strong cords, and confined in prison.
Alma 14:23
23 And it came to pass after they had thus suffered for many
days, (and it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the
tenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi)
that the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah and many of their
teachers and their lawyers went in unto the prison where Alma and
Amulek were bound with cords.
Alma 14:24
24 And the chief judge stood before them, and smote them again,
and said unto them: If ye have the power of God deliver
yourselves from these bands, and then we will believe that the
Lord will destroy this people according to your words.
Alma 14:25
25 And it came to pass that they all went forth and smote them,
saying the same words, even until the last; and when the last had
spoken unto them the power of God was upon Alma and Amulek, and
they rose and stood upon their feet.
Alma 14:26
26 And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great
afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our
faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke
the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw
this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come
upon them.
Alma 14:27
27 And it came to pass that so great was their fear that they
fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the
prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison
were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief
judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon
Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.
Alma 14:28
28 And Alma and Amulek came forth out of the prison, and they
were not hurt; for the Lord had granted unto them power,
according to their faith which was in Christ. And they
straightway came forth out of the prison; and they were loosed
from their bands; and the prison had fallen to the earth, and
every soul within the walls thereof, save it were Alma and
Amulek, was slain; and they straightway came forth into the city.
Alma 14:29
29 Now the people having heard a great noise came running
together by multitudes to know the cause of it; and when they saw
Alma and Amulek coming forth out of the prison, and the walls
thereof had fallen to the earth, they were struck with great
fear, and fled from the presence of Alma and Amulek even as a
goat fleeth with her young from two lions; and thus they did flee
from the presence of Alma and Amulek.
Alma 15
Chapter 15
Alma 15:1
1 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek were commanded to
depart out of that city; and they departed, and came out even
into the land of Sidom; and behold, there they found all the
people who had departed out of the land of Ammonihah, who had
been cast out and stoned, because they believed in the words of
Alma.
Alma 15:2
2 And they related unto them all that had happened unto their
wives and children, and also concerning themselves, and of their
power of deliverance.
Alma 15:3
3 And also Zeezrom lay sick at Sidom, with a burning fever,
which was caused by the great tribulations of his mind on account
of his wickedness, for he supposed that Alma and Amulek were no
more; and he supposed that they had been slain because of his
iniquity. And this great sin, and his many other sins, did
harrow up his mind until it did become exceedingly sore, having
no deliverance; therefore he began to be scorched with a burning
heat.
Alma 15:4
4 Now, when he heard that Alma and Amulek were in the land of
Sidom, his heart began to take courage; and he sent a message
immediately unto them, desiring them to come unto him.
Alma 15:5
5 And it came to pass that they went immediately, obeying the
message which he had sent unto them; and they went in unto the
house unto Zeezrom; and they found him upon his bed, sick, being
very low with a burning fever; and his mind also was exceedingly
sore because of his iniquities; and when he saw them he stretched
forth his hand, and besought them that they would heal him.
Alma 15:6
6 And it came to pass that Alma said unto him, taking him by the
hand: Believest thou in the power of Christ unto salvation?
Alma 15:7
7 And he answered and said: Yea, I believe all the words that
thou hast taught.
Alma 15:8
8 And Alma said: If thou believest in the redemption of Christ
thou canst be healed.
Alma 15:9
9 And he said: Yea, I believe according to thy words.
Alma 15:10
10 And then Alma cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord our God,
have mercy on this man, and heal him according to his faith which
is in Christ.
Alma 15:11
11 And when Alma had said these words, Zeezrom leaped upon his
feet, and began to walk; and this was done to the great
astonishment of all the people; and the knowledge of this went
forth throughout all the land of Sidom.
Alma 15:12
12 And Alma baptized Zeezrom unto the Lord; and he began from
that time forth to preach unto the people.
Alma 15:13
13 And Alma established a church in the land of Sidom, and
consecrated priests and teachers in the land, to baptize unto the
Lord whosoever were desirous to be baptized.
Alma 15:14
14 And it came to pass that they were many; for they did flock
in from all the region round about Sidom, and were baptized.
Alma 15:15
15 But as to the people that were in the land of Ammonihah, they
yet remained a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people; and they
repented not of their sins, ascribing all the power of Alma and
Amulek to the devil; for they were of the profession of Nehor,
and did not believe in the repentance of their sins.
Alma 15:16
16 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek, Amulek having
forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which
were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being
rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his
father and his kindred;
Alma 15:17
17 Therefore, after Alma having established the church at Sidom,
seeing a great check, yea, seeing that the people were checked as
to the pride of their hearts, and began to humble themselves
before God, and began to assemble themselves together at their
sanctuaries to worship God before the altar, watching and praying
continually, that they might be delivered from Satan, and from
death, and from destruction--
Alma 15:18
18 Now as I said, Alma having seen all these things, therefore
he took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took
him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his
tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord.
Alma 15:19
19 And thus ended the tenth year of the reign of the judges over
the people of Nephi.
Alma 16
Chapter 16
Alma 16:1
1 And it came to pass in the eleventh year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, on the fifth day of the second
month, there having been much peace in the land of Zarahemla,
there having been no wars nor contentions for a certain number of
years, even until the fifth day of the second month in the
eleventh year, there was a cry of war heard throughout the land.
Alma 16:2
2 For behold, the armies of the Lamanites had come in upon the
wilderness side, into the borders of the land, even into the city
of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people and destroy the city.
Alma 16:3
3 And now it came to pass, before the Nephites could raise a
sufficient army to drive them out of the land, they had destroyed
the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, and also some
around the borders of Noah, and taken others captive into the
wilderness.
Alma 16:4
4 Now it came to pass that the Nephites were desirous to obtain
those who had been carried away captive into the wilderness.
Alma 16:5
5 Therefore, he that had been appointed chief captain over the
armies of the Nephites, (and his name was Zoram, and he had two
sons, Lehi and Aha)--now Zoram and his two sons, knowing that
Alma was high priest over the church, and having heard that he
had the spirit of prophecy, therefore they went unto him and
desired of him to know whither the Lord would that they should go
into the wilderness in search of their brethren, who had been
taken captive by the Lamanites.
Alma 16:6
6 And it came to pass that Alma inquired of the Lord concerning
the matter. And Alma returned and said unto them: Behold, the
Lamanites will cross the river Sidon in the south wilderness,
away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti. And behold
there shall ye meet them, on the east of the river Sidon, and
there the Lord will deliver unto thee thy brethren who have been
taken captive by the Lamanites.
Alma 16:7
7 And it came to pass that Zoram and his sons crossed over the
river Sidon, with their armies, and marched away beyond the
borders of Manti into the south wilderness, which was on the east
side of the river Sidon.
Alma 16:8
8 And they came upon the armies of the Lamanites, and the
Lamanites were scattered and driven into the wilderness; and they
took their brethren who had been taken captive by the Lamanites,
and there was not one soul of them had been lost that were taken
captive. And they were brought by their brethren to possess
their own lands.
Alma 16:9
9 And thus ended the eleventh year of the judges, the Lamanites
having been driven out of the land, and the people of Ammonihah
were destroyed; yea, every living soul of the Ammonihahites was
destroyed, and also their great city, which they said God could
not destroy, because of its greatness.
Alma 16:10
10 But behold, in one day it was left desolate; and the
carcasses were mangled by dogs and wild beasts of the wilderness.
Alma 16:11
11 Nevertheless, after many days their dead bodies were heaped
up upon the face of the earth, and they were covered with a
shallow covering. And now so great was the scent thereof that
the people did not go in to possess the land of Ammonihah for
many years. And it was called Desolation of Nehors; for they
were of the profession of Nehor, who were slain; and their lands
remained desolate.
Alma 16:12
12 And the Lamanites did not come again to war against the
Nephites until the fourteenth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi. And thus for three years did the
people of Nephi have continual peace in all the land.
Alma 16:13
13 And Alma and Amulek went forth preaching repentance to the
people in their temples, and in their sanctuaries, and also in
their synagogues, which were built after the manner of the Jews.
Alma 16:14
14 And as many as would hear their words, unto them they did
impart the word of God, without any respect of persons,
continually.
Alma 16:15
15 And thus did Alma and Amulek go forth, and also many more who
had been chosen for the work, to preach the word throughout all
the land. And the establishment of the church became general
throughout the land, in all the region round about, among all the
people of the Nephites.
Alma 16:16
16 And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out
his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of
the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the
word which should be taught among them at the time of his
coming--
Alma 16:17
17 That they might not be hardened against the word, that they
might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they
might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be grafted into
the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord
their God.
Alma 16:18
18 Now those priests who did go forth among the people did
preach against all lyings, and deceivings, and envyings, and
strifes, and malice, and revilings, and stealing, robbing,
plundering, murdering, committing adultery, and all manner of
lasciviousness, crying that these things ought not so to be--
Alma 16:19
19 Holding forth things which must shortly come; yea, holding
forth the coming of the Son of God, his sufferings and death, and
also the resurrection of the dead.
Alma 16:20
20 And many of the people did inquire concerning the place where
the Son of God should come; and they were taught that he would
appear unto them after his resurrection; and this the people did
hear with great joy and gladness.
Alma 16:21
21 And now after the church had been established throughout all
the land--having got the victory over the devil, and the word of
God being preached in its purity in all the land, and the Lord
pouring out his blessings upon the people--thus ended the
fourteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of
Nephi.
Alma 17
Chapter 17
Alma 17:1
1 And now it came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the
land of Gideon southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to
his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying
towards the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 17:2
2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel
first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly
to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were
still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in
the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound
understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently,
that they might know the word of God.
Alma 17:3
3 But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer,
and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the
spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with
power and authority of God.
Alma 17:4
4 And they had been teaching the word of God for the space of
fourteen years among the Lamanites, having had much success in
bringing many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, by the power of
their words many were brought before the altar of God, to call on
his name and confess their sins before him.
Alma 17:5
5 Now these are the circumstances which attended them in their
journeyings, for they had many afflictions; they did suffer much,
both in body and in mind, such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and
also much labor in the spirit.
Alma 17:6
6 Now these were their journeyings: Having taken leave of their
father, Mosiah, in the first year of the judges; having refused
the kingdom which their father was desirous to confer upon them,
and also this was the minds of the people;
Alma 17:7
7 Nevertheless they departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and
took their swords, and their spears, and their bows, and their
arrows, and their slings; and this they did that they might
provide food for themselves while in the wilderness.
Alma 17:8
8 And thus they departed into the wilderness with their numbers
which they had selected, to go up to the land of Nephi, to preach
the word of God unto the Lamanites.
Alma 17:9
9 And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the
wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord
would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them,
and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the
hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the
Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the
baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not
correct.
Alma 17:10
10 And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his
Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were
comforted.
Alma 17:11
11 And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the
Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be
patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth
good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of
thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.
Alma 17:12
12 And it came to pass that the hearts of the sons of Mosiah,
and also those who were with them, took courage to go forth unto
the Lamanites to declare unto them the word of God.
Alma 17:13
13 And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of
the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and
departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should
meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that
great was the work which they had undertaken.
Alma 17:14
14 And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach
the word of God to a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people;
a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and
plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches, or upon
gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain
these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not
labor for them with their own hands.
Alma 17:15
15 Thus they were a very indolent people, many of whom did
worship idols, and the curse of God had fallen upon them because
of the traditions of their fathers; notwithstanding the promises
of the Lord were extended unto them on the conditions of
repentance.
Alma 17:16
16 Therefore, this was the cause for which the sons of Mosiah
had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto
repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the
plan of redemption.
Alma 17:17
17 Therefore they separated themselves one from another, and
went forth among them, every man alone, according to the word and
power of God which was given unto him.
Alma 17:18
18 Now Ammon being the chief among them, or rather he did
administer unto them, and he departed from them, after having
blessed them according to their several stations, having imparted
the word of God unto them, or administered unto them before his
departure; and thus they took their several journeys throughout
the land.
Alma 17:19
19 And Ammon went to the land of Ishmael, the land being called
after the sons of Ishmael, who also became Lamanites.
Alma 17:20
20 And as Ammon entered the land of Ishmael, the Lamanites took
him and bound him, as was their custom to bind all the Nephites
who fell into their hands, and carry them before the king; and
thus it was left to the pleasure of the king to slay them, or to
retain them in captivity, or to cast them into prison, or to cast
them out of his land, according to his will and pleasure.
Alma 17:21
21 And thus Ammon was carried before the king who was over the
land of Ishmael; and his name was Lamoni; and he was a descendant
of Ishmael.
Alma 17:22
22 And the king inquired of Ammon if it were his desire to dwell
in the land among the Lamanites, or among his people.
Alma 17:23
23 And Ammon said unto him: Yea, I desire to dwell among this
people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die.
Alma 17:24
24 And it came to pass that king Lamoni was much pleased with
Ammon, and caused that his bands should be loosed; and he would
that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife.
Alma 17:25
25 But Ammon said unto him: Nay, but I will be thy servant.
Therefore Ammon became a servant to king Lamoni. And it came to
pass that he was set among other servants to watch the flocks of
Lamoni, according to the custom of the Lamanites.
Alma 17:26
26 And after he had been in the service of the king three days,
as he was with the Lamanitish servants going forth with their
flocks to the place of water, which was called the water of
Sebus, and all the Lamanites drive their flocks hither, that they
may have water--
Alma 17:27
27 Therefore, as Ammon and the servants of the king were driving
forth their flocks to this place of water, behold, a certain
number of the Lamanites, who had been with their flocks to water,
stood and scattered the flocks of Ammon and the servants of the
king, and they scattered them insomuch that they fled many ways.
Alma 17:28
28 Now the servants of the king began to murmur, saying: Now the
king will slay us, as he has our brethren because their flocks
were scattered by the wickedness of these men. And they began to
weep exceedingly, saying: Behold, our flocks are scattered
already.
Alma 17:29
29 Now they wept because of the fear of being slain. Now when
Ammon saw this his heart was swollen within him with joy; for,
said he, I will show forth my power unto these my
fellow-servants, or the power which is in me, in restoring these
flocks unto the king, that I may win the hearts of these my
fellow-servants, that I may lead them to believe in my words.
Alma 17:30
30 And now, these were the thoughts of Ammon, when he saw the
afflictions of those whom he termed to be his brethren.
Alma 17:31
31 And it came to pass that he flattered them by his words,
saying: My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of
the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back
unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks
unto the king and he will not slay us.
Alma 17:32
32 And it came to pass that they went in search of the flocks,
and they did follow Ammon, and they rushed forth with much
swiftness and did head the flocks of the king, and did gather
them together again to the place of water.
Alma 17:33
33 And those men again stood to scatter their flocks; but Ammon
said unto his brethren: Encircle the flocks round about that they
flee not; and I go and contend with these men who do scatter our
flocks.
Alma 17:34
34 Therefore, they did as Ammon commanded them, and he went
forth and stood to contend with those who stood by the waters of
Sebus; and they were in number not a few.
Alma 17:35
35 Therefore they did not fear Ammon, for they supposed that one
of their men could slay him according to their pleasure, for they
knew not that the Lord had promised Mosiah that he would deliver
his sons out of their hands; neither did they know anything
concerning the Lord; therefore they delighted in the destruction
of their brethren; and for this cause they stood to scatter the
flocks of the king.
Alma 17:36
36 But Ammon stood forth and began to cast stones at them with
his sling; yea, with mighty power he did sling stones amongst
them; and thus he slew a certain number of them insomuch that
they began to be astonished at his power; nevertheless they were
angry because of the slain of their brethren, and they were
determined that he should fall; therefore, seeing that they could
not hit him with their stones, they came forth with clubs to slay
him.
Alma 17:37
37 But behold, every man that lifted his club to smite Ammon, he
smote off their arms with his sword; for he did withstand their
blows by smiting their arms with the edge of his sword, insomuch
that they began to be astonished, and began to flee before him;
yea, and they were not few in number; and he caused them to flee
by the strength of his arm.
Alma 17:38
38 Now six of them had fallen by the sling, but he slew none
save it were their leader with his sword; and he smote off as
many of their arms as were lifted against him, and they were not
a few.
Alma 17:39
39 And when he had driven them afar off, he returned and they
watered their flocks and returned them to the pasture of the
king, and then went in unto the king, bearing the arms which had
been smitten off by the sword of Ammon, of those who sought to
slay him; and they were carried in unto the king for a testimony
of the things which they had done.
Alma 18
Chapter 18
Alma 18:1
1 And it came to pass that king Lamoni caused that his servants
should stand forth and testify to all the things which they had
seen concerning the matter.
Alma 18:2
2 And when they had all testified to the things which they had
seen, and he had learned of the faithfulness of Ammon in
preserving his flocks, and also of his great power in contending
against those who sought to slay him, he was astonished
exceedingly, and said: Surely, this is more than a man. Behold,
is not this the Great Spirit who doth send such great punishments
upon this people, because of their murders?
Alma 18:3
3 And they answered the king, and said: Whether he be the Great
Spirit or a man, we know not; but this much we do know, that he
cannot be slain by the enemies of the king; neither can they
scatter the king's flocks when he is with us, because of his
expertness and great strength; therefore, we know that he is a
friend to the king. And now, O king, we do not believe that a
man has such great power, for we know he cannot be slain.
Alma 18:4
4 And now, when the king heard these words, he said unto them:
Now I know that it is the Great Spirit; and he has come down at
this time to preserve your lives, that I might not slay you as I
did your brethren. Now this is the Great Spirit of whom our
fathers have spoken.
Alma 18:5
5 Now this was the tradition of Lamoni, which he had received
from his father, that there was a Great Spirit. Notwithstanding
they believed in a Great Spirit they supposed that whatsoever
they did was right; nevertheless, Lamoni began to fear
exceedingly, with fear lest he had done wrong in slaying his
servants;
Alma 18:6
6 For he had slain many of them because their brethren had
scattered their flocks at the place of water; and thus, because
they had had their flocks scattered they were slain.
Alma 18:7
7 Now it was the practice of these Lamanites to stand by the
waters of Sebus to scatter the flocks of the people, that thereby
they might drive away many that were scattered unto their own
land, it being a practice of plunder among them.
Alma 18:8
8 And it came to pass that king Lamoni inquired of his servants,
saying: Where is this man that has such great power?
Alma 18:9
9 And they said unto him: Behold, he is feeding thy horses. Now
the king had commanded his servants, previous to the time of the
watering of their flocks, that they should prepare his horses and
chariots, and conduct him forth to the land of Nephi; for there
had been a great feast appointed at the land of Nephi, by the
father of Lamoni, who was king over all the land.
Alma 18:10
10 Now when king Lamoni heard that Ammon was preparing his
horses and his chariots he was more astonished, because of the
faithfulness of Ammon, saying: Surely there has not been any
servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this
man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute
them.
Alma 18:11
11 Now I surely know that this is the Great Spirit, and I would
desire him that he come in unto me, but I durst not.
Alma 18:12
12 And it came to pass that when Ammon had made ready the horses
and the chariots for the king and his servants, he went in unto
the king, and he saw that the countenance of the king was
changed; therefore he was about to return out of his presence.
Alma 18:13
13 And one of the king's servants said unto him, Rabbanah, which
is, being interpreted, powerful or great king, considering their
kings to be powerful; and thus he said unto him: Rabbanah, the
king desireth thee to stay.
Alma 18:14
14 Therefore Ammon turned himself unto the king, and said unto
him: What wilt thou that I should do for thee, O king? And the
king answered him not for the space of an hour, according to
their time, for he knew not what he should say unto him.
Alma 18:15
15 And it came to pass that Ammon said unto him again: What
desirest thou of me? But the king answered him not.
Alma 18:16
16 And it came to pass that Ammon, being filled with the Spirit
of God, therefore he perceived the thoughts of the king. And he
said unto him: Is it because thou hast heard that I defended thy
servants and thy flocks, and slew seven of their brethren with
the sling and with the sword, and smote off the arms of others,
in order to defend thy flocks and thy servants; behold, is it
this that causeth thy marvelings?
Alma 18:17
17 I say unto you, what is it, that thy marvelings are so great?
Behold, I am a man, and am thy servant; therefore, whatsoever
thou desirest which is right, that will I do.
Alma 18:18
18 Now when the king had heard these words, he marveled again,
for he beheld that Ammon could discern his thoughts; but
notwithstanding this, king Lamoni did open his mouth, and said
unto him: Who art thou? Art thou that Great Spirit, who knows
all things?
Alma 18:19
19 Ammon answered and said unto him: I am not.
Alma 18:20
20 And the king said: How knowest thou the thoughts of my heart?
Thou mayest speak boldly, and tell me concerning these things;
and also tell me by what power ye slew and smote off the arms of
my brethren that scattered my flocks--
Alma 18:21
21 And now, if thou wilt tell me concerning these things,
whatsoever thou desirest I will give unto thee; and if it were
needed, I would guard thee with my armies; but I know that thou
art more powerful than all they; nevertheless, whatsoever thou
desirest of me I will grant it unto thee.
Alma 18:22
22 Now Ammon being wise, yet harmless, he said unto Lamoni: Wilt
thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do
these things? And this is the thing that I desire of thee.
Alma 18:23
23 And the king answered him, and said: Yea, I will believe all
thy words. And thus he was caught with guile.
Alma 18:24
24 And Ammon began to speak unto him with boldness, and said
unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?
Alma 18:25
25 And he answered, and said unto him: I do not know what that
meaneth.
Alma 18:26
26 And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great
Spirit?
Alma 18:27
27 And he said, Yea.
Alma 18:28
28 And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again:
Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all
things which are in heaven and in the earth?
Alma 18:29
29 And he said: Yea, I believe that he created all things which
are in the earth; but I do not know the heavens.
Alma 18:30
30 And Ammon said unto him: The heavens is a place where God
dwells and all his holy angels.
Alma 18:31
31 And king Lamoni said: Is it above the earth?
Alma 18:32
32 And Ammon said: Yea, and he looketh down upon all the
children of men; and he knows all the thoughts and intents of the
heart; for by his hand were they all created from the beginning.
Alma 18:33
33 And king Lamoni said: I believe all these things which thou
hast spoken. Art thou sent from God?
Alma 18:34
34 Ammon said unto him: I am a man; and man in the beginning was
created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy
Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be
brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true;
Alma 18:35
35 And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me
knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which
are in God.
Alma 18:36
36 Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the creation
of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the
things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before
him the records and the holy scriptures of the people, which had
been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their
father, Lehi, left Jerusalem.
Alma 18:37
37 And he also rehearsed unto them (for it was unto the king and
to his servants) all the journeyings of their fathers in the
wilderness, and all their sufferings with hunger and thirst, and
their travail, and so forth.
Alma 18:38
38 And he also rehearsed unto them concerning the rebellions of
Laman and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, yea, all their
rebellions did he relate unto them; and he expounded unto them
all the records and scriptures from the time that Lehi left
Jerusalem down to the present time.
Alma 18:39
39 But this is not all; for he expounded unto them the plan of
redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the world;
and he also made known unto them concerning the coming of Christ,
and all the works of the Lord did he make known unto them.
Alma 18:40
40 And it came to pass that after he had said all these things,
and expounded them to the king, that the king believed all his
words.
Alma 18:41
41 And he began to cry unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, have
mercy; according to thy abundant mercy which thou hast had upon
the people of Nephi, have upon me, and my people.
Alma 18:42
42 And now, when he had said this, he fell unto the earth, as if
he were dead.
Alma 18:43
43 And it came to pass that his servants took him and carried
him in unto his wife, and laid him upon a bed; and he lay as if
he were dead for the space of two days and two nights; and his
wife, and his sons, and his daughters mourned over him, after the
manner of the Lamanites, greatly lamenting his loss.
Alma 19
Chapter 19
Alma 19:1
1 And it came to pass that after two days and two nights they
were about to take his body and lay it in a sepulchre, which they
had made for the purpose of burying their dead.
Alma 19:2
2 Now the queen having heard of the fame of Ammon, therefore she
sent and desired that he should come in unto her.
Alma 19:3
3 And it came to pass that Ammon did as he was commanded, and
went in unto the queen, and desired to know what she would that
he should do.
Alma 19:4
4 And she said unto him: The servants of my husband have made it
known unto me that thou art a prophet of a holy God, and that
thou hast power to do many mighty works in his name;
Alma 19:5
5 Therefore, if this is the case, I would that ye should go in
and see my husband, for he has been laid upon his bed for the
space of two days and two nights; and some say that he is not
dead, but others say that he is dead and that he stinketh, and
that he ought to be placed in the sepulchre; but as for myself,
to me he doth not stink.
Alma 19:6
6 Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni
was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of
unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which
did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God,
which was a marvelous light of his goodness--yea, this light had
infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been
dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in
his soul, yea, he knew that this had overcome his natural frame,
and he was carried away in God--
Alma 19:7
7 Therefore, what the queen desired of him was his only desire.
Therefore, he went in to see the king according as the queen had
desired him; and he saw the king, and he knew that he was not
dead.
Alma 19:8
8 And he said unto the queen: He is not dead, but he sleepeth in
God, and on the morrow he shall rise again; therefore bury him
not.
Alma 19:9
9 And Ammon said unto her: Believest thou this? And she said
unto him: I have had no witness save thy word, and the word of
our servants; nevertheless I believe that it shall be according
as thou hast said.
Alma 19:10
10 And Ammon said unto her: Blessed art thou because of thy
exceeding faith; I say unto thee, woman, there has not been such
great faith among all the people of the Nephites.
Alma 19:11
11 And it came to pass that she watched over the bed of her
husband, from that time even until that time on the morrow which
Ammon had appointed that he should rise.
Alma 19:12
12 And it came to pass that he arose, according to the words of
Ammon; and as he arose, he stretched forth his hand unto the
woman, and said: Blessed be the name of God, and blessed art
thou.
Alma 19:13
13 For as sure as thou livest, behold, I have seen my Redeemer;
and he shall come forth, and be born of a woman, and he shall
redeem all mankind who believe on his name. Now, when he had
said these words, his heart was swollen within him, and he sunk
again with joy; and the queen also sunk down, being overpowered
by the Spirit.
Alma 19:14
14 Now Ammon seeing the Spirit of the Lord poured out according
to his prayers upon the Lamanites, his brethren, who had been the
cause of so much mourning among the Nephites, or among all the
people of God because of their iniquities and their traditions,
he fell upon his knees, and began to pour out his soul in prayer
and thanksgiving to God for what he had done for his brethren;
and he was also overpowered with joy; and thus they all three had
sunk to the earth.
Alma 19:15
15 Now, when the servants of the king had seen that they had
fallen, they also began to cry unto God, for the fear of the Lord
had come upon them also, for it was they who had stood before the
king and testified unto him concerning the great power of Ammon.
Alma 19:16
16 And it came to pass that they did call on the name of the
Lord, in their might, even until they had all fallen to the
earth, save it were one of the Lamanitish women, whose name was
Abish, she having been converted unto the Lord for many years, on
account of a remarkable vision of her father--
Alma 19:17
17 Thus, having been converted to the Lord, and never having
made it known, therefore, when she saw that all the servants of
Lamoni had fallen to the earth, and also her mistress, the queen,
and the king, and Ammon lay prostrate upon the earth, she knew
that it was the power of God; and supposing that this
opportunity, by making known unto the people what had happened
among them, that by beholding this scene it would cause them to
believe in the power of God, therefore she ran forth from house
to house, making it known unto the people.
Alma 19:18
18 And they began to assemble themselves together unto the house
of the king. And there came a multitude, and to their
astonishment they beheld the king, and the queen, and their
servants prostrate upon the earth, and they all lay there as
though they were dead; and they also saw Ammon, and behold, he
was a Nephite.
Alma 19:19
19 And now the people began to murmur among themselves; some
saying that it was a great evil that had come upon them, or upon
the king and his house, because he had suffered that the Nephite
should remain in the land.
Alma 19:20
20 But others rebuked them, saying: The king hath brought this
evil upon his house, because he slew his servants who had had
their flocks scattered at the waters of Sebus.
Alma 19:21
21 And they were also rebuked by those men who had stood at the
waters of Sebus and scattered the flocks which belonged to the
king, for they were angry with Ammon because of the number which
he had slain of their brethren at the waters of Sebus, while
defending the flocks of the king.
Alma 19:22
22 Now, one of them, whose brother had been slain with the sword
of Ammon, being exceedingly angry with Ammon, drew his sword and
went forth that he might let it fall upon Ammon, to slay him; and
as he lifted the sword to smite him, behold, he fell dead.
Alma 19:23
23 Now we see that Ammon could not be slain, for the Lord had
said unto Mosiah, his father: I will spare him, and it shall be
unto him according to thy faith--therefore, Mosiah trusted him
unto the Lord.
Alma 19:24
24 And it came to pass that when the multitude beheld that the
man had fallen dead, who lifted the sword to slay Ammon, fear
came upon them all, and they durst not put forth their hands to
touch him or any of those who had fallen; and they began to
marvel again among themselves what could be the cause of this
great power, or what all these things could mean.
Alma 19:25
25 And it came to pass that there were many among them who said
that Ammon was the Great Spirit, and others said he was sent by
the Great Spirit;
Alma 19:26
26 But others rebuked them all, saying that he was a monster,
who had been sent from the Nephites to torment them.
Alma 19:27
27 And there were some who said that Ammon was sent by the Great
Spirit to afflict them because of their iniquities; and that it
was the Great Spirit that had always attended the Nephites, who
had ever delivered them out of their hands; and they said that it
was this Great Spirit who had destroyed so many of their
brethren, the Lamanites.
Alma 19:28
28 And thus the contention began to be exceedingly sharp among
them. And while they were thus contending, the woman servant who
had caused the multitude to be gathered together came, and when
she saw the contention which was among the multitude she was
exceedingly sorrowful, even unto tears.
Alma 19:29
29 And it came to pass that she went and took the queen by the
hand, that perhaps she might raise her from the ground; and as
soon as she touched her hand she arose and stood upon her feet,
and cried with a loud voice, saying: O blessed Jesus, who has
saved me from an awful hell! O blessed God, have mercy on this
people!
Alma 19:30
30 And when she had said this, she clasped her hands, being
filled with joy, speaking many words which were not understood;
and when she had done this, she took the king, Lamoni, by the
hand, and behold he arose and stood upon his feet.
Alma 19:31
31 And he, immediately, seeing the contention among his people,
went forth and began to rebuke them, and to teach them the words
which he had heard from the mouth of Ammon; and as many as heard
his words believed, and were converted unto the Lord.
Alma 19:32
32 But there were many among them who would not hear his words;
therefore they went their way.
Alma 19:33
33 And it came to pass that when Ammon arose he also
administered unto them, and also did all the servants of Lamoni;
and they did all declare unto the people the selfsame thing--that
their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do
evil.
Alma 19:34
34 And behold, many did declare unto the people that they had
seen angels and had conversed with them; and thus they had told
them things of God, and of his righteousness.
Alma 19:35
35 And it came to pass that there were many that did believe in
their words; and as many as did believe were baptized; and they
became a righteous people, and they did establish a church among
them.
Alma 19:36
36 And thus the work of the Lord did commence among the
Lamanites; thus the Lord did begin to pour out his Spirit upon
them; and we see that his arm is extended to all people who will
repent and believe on his name.
Alma 20
Chapter 20
Alma 20:1
1 And it came to pass that when they had established a church in
that land, that king Lamoni desired that Ammon should go with him
to the land of Nephi, that he might show him unto his father.
Alma 20:2
2 And the voice of the Lord came to Ammon saying: Thou shalt not
go up to the land of Nephi, for behold, the king will seek thy
life; but thou shalt go to the land of Middoni; for behold, thy
brother Aaron, and also Muloki and Ammah are in prison.
Alma 20:3
3 Now it came to pass that when Ammon had heard this, he said
unto Lamoni: Behold, my brother and brethren are in prison at
Middoni, and I go that I may deliver them.
Alma 20:4
4 Now Lamoni said unto Ammon: I know, in the strength of the
Lord thou canst do all things. But behold, I will go with thee
to the land of Middoni; for the king of the land of Middoni,
whose name is Antiomno, is a friend unto me; therefore I go to
the land of Middoni, that I may flatter the king of the land, and
he will cast thy brethren out of prison. Now Lamoni said unto
him: Who told thee that thy brethren were in prison?
Alma 20:5
5 And Ammon said unto him: No one hath told me, save it be God;
and he said unto me--Go and deliver thy brethren, for they are in
prison in the land of Middoni.
Alma 20:6
6 Now when Lamoni had heard this he caused that his servants
should make ready his horses and his chariots.
Alma 20:7
7 And he said unto Ammon: Come, I will go with thee down to the
land of Middoni, and there I will plead with the king that he
will cast thy brethren out of prison.
Alma 20:8
8 And it came to pass that as Ammon and Lamoni were journeying
thither, they met the father of Lamoni, who was king over all the
land.
Alma 20:9
9 And behold, the father of Lamoni said unto him: Why did ye not
come to the feast on that great day when I made a feast unto my
sons, and unto my people?
Alma 20:10
10 And he also said: Whither art thou going with this Nephite,
who is one of the children of a liar?
Alma 20:11
11 And it came to pass that Lamoni rehearsed unto him whither he
was going, for he feared to offend him.
Alma 20:12
12 And he also told him all the cause of his tarrying in his own
kingdom, that he did not go unto his father to the feast which he
had prepared.
Alma 20:13
13 And now when Lamoni had rehearsed unto him all these things,
behold, to his astonishment, his father was angry with him, and
said: Lamoni, thou art going to deliver these Nephites, who are
sons of a liar. Behold, he robbed our fathers; and now his
children are also come amongst us that they may, by their cunning
and their lyings, deceive us, that they again may rob us of our
property.
Alma 20:14
14 Now the father of Lamoni commanded him that he should slay
Ammon with the sword. And he also commanded him that he should
not go to the land of Middoni, but that he should return with him
to the land of Ishmael.
Alma 20:15
15 But Lamoni said unto him: I will not slay Ammon, neither will
I return to the land of Ishmael, but I go to the land of Middoni
that I may release the brethren of Ammon, for I know that they
are just men and holy prophets of the true God.
Alma 20:16
16 Now when his father had heard these words, he was angry with
him, and he drew his sword that he might smite him to the earth.
Alma 20:17
17 But Ammon stood forth and said unto him: Behold, thou shalt
not slay thy son; nevertheless, it were better that he should
fall than thee, for behold, he has repented of his sins; but if
thou shouldst fall at this time, in thine anger, thy soul could
not be saved.
Alma 20:18
18 And again, it is expedient that thou shouldst forbear; for if
thou shouldst slay thy son, he being an innocent man, his blood
would cry from the ground to the Lord his God, for vengeance to
come upon thee; and perhaps thou wouldst lose thy soul.
Alma 20:19
19 Now when Ammon had said these words unto him, he answered
him, saying: I know that if I should slay my son, that I should
shed innocent blood; for it is thou that hast sought to destroy
him.
Alma 20:20
20 And he stretched forth his hand to slay Ammon. But Ammon
withstood his blows, and also smote his arm that he could not use
it.
Alma 20:21
21 Now when the king saw that Ammon could slay him, he began to
plead with Ammon that he would spare his life.
Alma 20:22
22 But Ammon raised his sword, and said unto him: Behold, I will
smite thee except thou wilt grant unto me that my brethren may be
cast out of prison.
Alma 20:23
23 Now the king, fearing he should lose his life, said: If thou
wilt spare me I will grant unto thee whatsoever thou wilt ask,
even to half of the kingdom.
Alma 20:24
24 Now when Ammon saw that he had wrought upon the old king
according to his desire, he said unto him: If thou wilt grant
that my brethren may be cast out of prison, and also that Lamoni
may retain his kingdom, and that ye be not displeased with him,
but grant that he may do according to his own desires in
whatsoever thing he thinketh, then will I spare thee; otherwise I
will smite thee to the earth.
Alma 20:25
25 Now when Ammon had said these words, the king began to
rejoice because of his life.
Alma 20:26
26 And when he saw that Ammon had no desire to destroy him, and
when he also saw the great love he had for his son Lamoni, he was
astonished exceedingly, and said: Because this is all that thou
hast desired, that I would release thy brethren, and suffer that
my son Lamoni should retain his kingdom, behold, I will grant
unto you that my son may retain his kingdom from this time and
forever; and I will govern him no more--
Alma 20:27
27 And I will also grant unto thee that thy brethren may be cast
out of prison, and thou and thy brethren may come unto me, in my
kingdom; for I shall greatly desire to see thee. For the king
was greatly astonished at the words which he had spoken, and also
at the words which had been spoken by his son Lamoni, therefore
he was desirous to learn them.
Alma 20:28
28 And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni proceeded on their
journey towards the land of Middoni. And Lamoni found favor in
the eyes of the king of the land; therefore the brethren of Ammon
were brought forth out of prison.
Alma 20:29
29 And when Ammon did meet them he was exceedingly sorrowful,
for behold they were naked, and their skins were worn exceedingly
because of being bound with strong cords. And they also had
suffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds of afflictions;
nevertheless they were patient in all their sufferings.
Alma 20:30
30 And, as it happened, it was their lot to have fallen into the
hands of a more hardened and a more stiffnecked people; therefore
they would not hearken unto their words, and they had cast them
out, and had smitten them, and had driven them from house to
house, and from place to place, even until they had arrived in
the land of Middoni; and there they were taken and cast into
prison, and bound with strong cords, and kept in prison for many
days, and were delivered by Lamoni and Ammon.
Alma 21
Chapter 21
Alma 21:1
1 Now when Ammon and his brethren separated themselves in the
borders of the land of the Lamanites, behold Aaron took his
journey towards the land which was called by the Lamanites,
Jerusalem, calling it after the land of their fathers' nativity;
and it was away joining the borders of Mormon.
Alma 21:2
2 Now the Lamanites and the Amalekites and the people of Amulon
had built a great city, which was called Jerusalem.
Alma 21:3
3 Now the Lamanites of themselves were sufficiently hardened,
but the Amalekites and the Amulonites were still harder;
therefore they did cause the Lamanites that they should harden
their hearts, that they should wax strong in wickedness and their
abominations.
Alma 21:4
4 And it came to pass that Aaron came to the city of Jerusalem,
and first began to preach to the Amalekites. And he began to
preach to them in their synagogues, for they had built synagogues
after the order of the Nehors; for many of the Amalekites and the
Amulonites were after the order of the Nehors
Alma 21:5
5 Therefore, as Aaron entered into one of their synagogues to
preach unto the people, and as he was speaking unto them, behold
there arose an Amalekite and began to contend with him, saying:
What is that thou hast testified? Hast thou seen an angel? Why
do not angels appear unto us? Behold are not this people as good
as thy people?
Alma 21:6
6 Thou also sayest, except we repent we shall perish. How
knowest thou the thought and intent of our hearts? How knowest
thou that we have cause to repent? How knowest thou that we are
not a righteous people? Behold, we have built sanctuaries, and
we do assemble ourselves together to worship God. We do believe
that God will save all men.
Alma 21:7
7 Now Aaron said unto him: Believest thou that the Son of God
shall come to redeem mankind from their sins?
Alma 21:8
8 And the man said unto him: We do not believe that thou knowest
any such thing. We do not believe in these foolish traditions.
We do not believe that thou knowest of things to come, neither do
we believe that thy fathers and also that our fathers did know
concerning the things which they spake, of that which is to come.
Alma 21:9
9 Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning
the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the
dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it
were through the death and sufferings of Christ, and the
atonement of his blood.
Alma 21:10
10 And it came to pass as he began to expound these things unto
them they were angry with him, and began to mock him; and they
would not hear the words which he spake.
Alma 21:11
11 Therefore, when he saw that they would not hear his words, he
departed out of their synagogue, and came over to a village which
was called Ani-Anti, and there he found Muloki preaching the word
unto them; and also Ammah and his brethren. And they contended
with many about the word.
Alma 21:12
12 And it came to pass that they saw that the people would
harden their hearts, therefore they departed and came over into
the land of Middoni. And they did preach the word unto many, and
few believed on the words which they taught.
Alma 21:13
13 Nevertheless, Aaron and a certain number of his brethren were
taken and cast into prison, and the remainder of them fled out of
the land of Middoni unto the regions round about.
Alma 21:14
14 And those who were cast into prison suffered many things, and
they were delivered by the hand of Lamoni and Ammon, and they
were fed and clothed.
Alma 21:15
15 And they went forth again to declare the word, and thus they
were delivered for the first time out of prison; and thus they
had suffered.
Alma 21:16
16 And they went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit
of the Lord, preaching the word of God in every synagogue of the
Amalekites, or in every assembly of the Lamanites where they
could be admitted.
Alma 21:17
17 And it came to pass that the Lord began to bless them,
insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth;
yea, they did convince many of their sins, and of the traditions
of their fathers, which were not correct.
Alma 21:18
18 And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni returned from the
land of Middoni to the land of Ishmael, which was the land of
their inheritance.
Alma 21:19
19 And king Lamoni would not suffer that Ammon should serve him,
or be his servant.
Alma 21:20
20 But he caused that there should be synagogues built in the
land of Ishmael; and he caused that his people, or the people who
were under his reign, should assemble themselves together.
Alma 21:21
21 And he did rejoice over them, and he did teach them many
things. And he did also declare unto them that they were a
people who were under him, and that they were a free people, that
they were free from the oppressions of the king, his father; for
that his father had granted unto him that he might reign over the
people who were in the land of Ishmael, and in all the land round
about.
Alma 21:22
22 And he also declared unto them that they might have the
liberty of worshiping the Lord their God according to their
desires, in whatsoever place they were in, if it were in the land
which was under the reign of king Lamoni.
Alma 21:23
23 And Ammon did preach unto the people of king Lamoni; and it
came to pass that he did teach them all things concerning things
pertaining to righteousness. And he did exhort them daily, with
all diligence; and they gave heed unto his word, and they were
zealous for keeping the commandments of God.
Alma 22
Chapter 22
Alma 22:1
1 Now, as Ammon was thus teaching the people of Lamoni
continually, we will return to the account of Aaron and his
brethren; for after he departed from the land of Middoni he was
led by the Spirit to the land of Nephi, even to the house of the
king which was over all the land save it were the land of
Ishmael; and he was the father of Lamoni.
Alma 22:2
2 And it came to pass that he went in unto him into the king's
palace, with his brethren, and bowed himself before the king, and
said unto him: Behold, O king, we are the brethren of Ammon, whom
thou hast delivered out of prison.
Alma 22:3
3 And now, O king, if thou wilt spare our lives, we will be thy
servants. And the king said unto them: Arise, for I will grant
unto you your lives, and I will not suffer that ye shall be my
servants; but I will insist that ye shall administer unto me; for
I have been somewhat troubled in mind because of the generosity
and the greatness of the words of thy brother Ammon; and I desire
to know the cause why he has not come up out of Middoni with
thee.
Alma 22:4
4 And Aaron said unto the king: Behold, the Spirit of the Lord
has called him another way; he has gone to the land of Ishmael,
to teach the people of Lamoni.
Alma 22:5
5 Now the king said unto them: What is this that ye have said
concerning the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, this is the thing
which doth trouble me.
Alma 22:6
6 And also, what is this that Ammon said--If ye will repent ye
shall be saved, and if ye will not repent, ye shall be cast off
at the last day?
Alma 22:7
7 And Aaron answered him and said unto him: Believest thou that
there is a God? And the king said: I know that the Amalekites
say that there is a God, and I have granted unto them that they
should build sanctuaries, that they may assemble themselves
together to worship him. And if now thou sayest there is a God,
behold I will believe.
Alma 22:8
8 And now when Aaron heard this, his heart began to rejoice, and
he said: Behold, assuredly as thou livest, O king, there is a
God.
Alma 22:9
9 And the king said: Is God that Great Spirit that brought our
fathers out of the land of Jerusalem?
Alma 22:10
10 And Aaron said unto him: Yea, he is that Great Spirit, and he
created all things both in heaven and in earth. Believest thou
this?
Alma 22:11
11 And he said: Yea, I believe that the Great Spirit created all
things, and I desire that ye should tell me concerning all these
things, and I will believe thy words.
Alma 22:12
12 And it came to pass that when Aaron saw that the king would
believe his words, he began from the creation of Adam, reading
the scriptures unto the king--how God created man after his own
image, and that God gave him commandments, and that because of
transgression, man had fallen.
Alma 22:13
13 And Aaron did expound unto him the scriptures from the
creation of Adam, laying the fall of man before him, and their
carnal state and also the plan of redemption, which was prepared
from the foundation of the world, through Christ, for all
whosoever would believe on his name.
Alma 22:14
14 And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of
himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their
sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he
breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no
victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in
the hopes of glory; and Aaron did expound all these things unto
the king.
Alma 22:15
15 And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these
things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have
this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I
do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted
out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled
with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold,
said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake
my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.
Alma 22:16
16 But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou
wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy
sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in
faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive
the hope which thou desirest.
Alma 22:17
17 And it came to pass that when Aaron had said these words, the
king did bow down before the Lord, upon his knees; yea, even he
did prostrate himself upon the earth, and cried mightily, saying:
Alma 22:18
18 O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there
is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto
me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may
be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day. And now
when the king had said these words, he was struck as if he were
dead.
Alma 22:19
19 And it came to pass that his servants ran and told the queen
all that had happened unto the king. And she came in unto the
king; and when she saw him lay as if he were dead, and also Aaron
and his brethren standing as though they had been the cause of
his fall, she was angry with them, and commanded that her
servants, or the servants of the king, should take them and slay
them.
Alma 22:20
20 Now the servants had seen the cause of the king's fall,
therefore they durst not lay their hands on Aaron and his
brethren; and they pled with the queen saying: Why commandest
thou that we should slay these men, when behold one of them is
mightier than us all? Therefore we shall fall before them.
Alma 22:21
21 Now when the queen saw the fear of the servants she also
began to fear exceedingly, lest there should some evil come upon
her. And she commanded her servants that they should go and call
the people, that they might slay Aaron and his brethren.
Alma 22:22
22 Now when Aaron saw the determination of the queen, he, also
knowing the hardness of the hearts of the people, feared lest
that a multitude should assemble themselves together, and there
should be a great contention and a disturbance among them;
therefore he put forth his hand and raised the king from the
earth, and said unto him: Stand. And he stood upon his feet,
receiving his strength.
Alma 22:23
23 Now this was done in the presence of the queen and many of
the servants. And when they saw it they greatly marveled, and
began to fear. And the king stood forth, and began to minister
unto them. And he did minister unto them, insomuch that his
whole household were converted unto the Lord.
Alma 22:24
24 Now there was a multitude gathered together because of the
commandment of the queen, and there began to be great murmurings
among them because of Aaron and his brethren.
Alma 22:25
25 But the king stood forth among them and administered unto
them. And they were pacified towards Aaron and those who were
with him.
Alma 22:26
26 And it came to pass that when the king saw that the people
were pacified, he caused that Aaron and his brethren should stand
forth in the midst of the multitude, and that they should preach
the word unto them.
Alma 22:27
27 And it came to pass that the king sent a proclamation
throughout all the land, amongst all his people who were in all
his land, who were in all the regions round about, which was
bordering even to the sea, on the east and on the west, and which
was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of
wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and
round about on the borders of the seashore, and the borders of
the wilderness which was on the north by the land of Zarahemla,
through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon,
running from the east towards the west--and thus were the
Lamanites and the Nephites divided.
Alma 22:28
28 Now, the more idle part of the Lamanites lived in the
wilderness, and dwelt in tents; and they were spread through the
wilderness on the west, in the land of Nephi; yea, and also on
the west of the land of Zarahemla, in the borders by the
seashore, and on the west in the land of Nephi, in the place of
their fathers' first inheritance, and thus bordering along by the
seashore.
Alma 22:29
29 And also there were many Lamanites on the east by the
seashore, whither the Nephites had driven them. And thus the
Nephites were nearly surrounded by the Lamanites; nevertheless
the Nephites had taken possession of all the northern parts of
the land bordering on the wilderness, at the head of the river
Sidon, from the east to the west, round about on the wilderness
side; on the north, even until they came to the land which they
called Bountiful.
Alma 22:30
30 And it bordered upon the land which they called Desolation,
it being so far northward that it came into the land which had
been peopled and been destroyed, of whose bones we have spoken,
which was discovered by the people of Zarahemla, it being the
place of their first landing.
Alma 22:31
31 And they came from there up into the south wilderness. Thus
the land on the northward was called Desolation, and the land on
the southward was called Bountiful, it being the wilderness which
is filled with all manner of wild animals of every kind, a part
of which had come from the land northward for food.
Alma 22:32
32 And now, it was only the distance of a day and a half's
journey for a Nephite, on the line Bountiful and the land
Desolation, from the east to the west sea; and thus the land of
Nephi and the land of Zarahemla were nearly surrounded by water,
there being a small neck of land between the land northward and
the land southward.
Alma 22:33
33 And it came to pass that the Nephites had inhabited the land
Bountiful, even from the east unto the west sea, and thus the
Nephites in their wisdom, with their guards and their armies, had
hemmed in the Lamanites on the south, that thereby they should
have no more possession on the north, that they might not overrun
the land northward.
Alma 22:34
34 Therefore the Lamanites could have no more possessions only
in the land of Nephi, and the wilderness round about. Now this
was wisdom in the Nephites--as the Lamanites were an enemy to
them, they would not suffer their afflictions on every hand, and
also that they might have a country whither they might flee,
according to their desires.
Alma 22:35
35 And now I, after having said this, return again to the
account of Ammon and Aaron, Omner and Himni, and their brethren.
Alma 23
Chapter 23
Alma 23:1
1 Behold, now it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites
sent a proclamation among all his people, that they should not
lay their hands on Ammon, or Aaron, or Omner, or Himni, nor
either of their brethren who should go forth preaching the word
of God, in whatsoever place they should be, in any part of their
land.
Alma 23:2
2 Yea, he sent a decree among them, that they should not lay
their hands on them to bind them, or to cast them into prison;
neither should they spit upon them, nor smite them, nor cast them
out of their synagogues, nor scourge them; neither should they
cast stones at them, but that they should have free access to
their houses, and also their temples, and their sanctuaries.
Alma 23:3
3 And thus they might go forth and preach the word according to
their desires, for the king had been converted unto the Lord, and
all his household; therefore he sent his proclamation throughout
the land unto his people, that the word of God might have no
obstruction, but that it might go forth throughout all the land,
that his people might be convinced concerning the wicked
traditions of their fathers, and that they might be convinced
that they were all brethren, and that they ought not to murder,
nor to plunder, nor to steal, nor to commit adultery, nor to
commit any manner of wickedness.
Alma 23:4
4 And now it came to pass that when the king had sent forth this
proclamation, that Aaron and his brethren went forth from city to
city, and from one house of worship to another, establishing
churches, and consecrating priests and teachers throughout the
land among the Lamanites, to preach and to teach the word of God
among them; and thus they began to have great success.
Alma 23:5
5 And thousands were brought to the knowledge of the Lord, yea,
thousands were brought to believe in the traditions of the
Nephites; and they were taught the records and prophecies which
were handed down even to the present time.
Alma 23:6
6 And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed,
or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through
the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit
of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working
miracles in them--yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth, as
many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were
converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.
Alma 23:7
7 For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the
weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God
any more, neither against any of their brethren.
Alma 23:8
8 Now, these are they who were converted unto the Lord:
Alma 23:9
9 The people of the Lamanites who were in the land of Ishmael;
Alma 23:10
10 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land
of Middoni;
Alma 23:11
11 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the city
of Nephi;
Alma 23:12
12 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land
of Shilom, and who were in the land of Shemlon, and in the city
of Lemuel, and in the city of Shimnilom.
Alma 23:13
13 And these are the names of the cities of the Lamanites which
were converted unto the Lord; and these are they that laid down
the weapons of their rebellion, yea, all their weapons of war;
and they were all Lamanites.
Alma 23:14
14 And the Amalekites were not converted, save only one; neither
were any of the Amulonites; but they did harden their hearts, and
also the hearts of the Lamanites in that part of the land
wheresoever they dwelt, yea, and all their villages and all their
cities.
Alma 23:15
15 Therefore, we have named all the cities of the Lamanites in
which they did repent and come to the knowledge of the truth, and
were converted.
Alma 23:16
16 And now it came to pass that the king and those who were
converted were desirous that they might have a name, that thereby
they might be distinguished from their brethren; therefore the
king consulted with Aaron and many of their priests, concerning
the name that they should take upon them, that they might be
distinguished.
Alma 23:17
17 And it came to pass that they called their names
Anti-Nephi-Lehies; and they were called by this name and were no
more called Lamanites.
Alma 23:18
18 And they began to be a very industrious people; yea, and they
were friendly with the Nephites; therefore, they did open a
correspondence with them, and the curse of God did no more follow
them.
Alma 24
Chapter 24
Alma 24:1
1 And it came to pass that the Amalekites and the Amulonites and
the Lamanites who were in the land of Amulon, and also in the
land of Helam, and who were in the land of Jerusalem, and in
fine, in all the land round about, who had not been converted and
had not taken upon them the name of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, were stirred
up by the Amalekites and by the Amulonites to anger against their
brethren.
Alma 24:2
2 And their hatred became exceedingly sore against them, even
insomuch that they began to rebel against their king, insomuch
that they would not that he should be their king; therefore, they
took up arms against the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.
Alma 24:3
3 Now the king conferred the kingdom upon his son, and he called
his name Anti-Nephi-Lehi.
Alma 24:4
4 And the king died in that selfsame year that the Lamanites
began to make preparations for war against the people of God.
Alma 24:5
5 Now when Ammon and his brethren and all those who had come up
with him saw the preparations of the Lamanites to destroy their
brethren, they came forth to the land of Midian, and there Ammon
met all his brethren; and from thence they came to the land of
Ishmael that they might hold a council with Lamoni and also with
his brother Anti-Nephi-Lehi, what they should do to defend
themselves against the Lamanites.
Alma 24:6
6 Now there was not one soul among all the people who had been
converted unto the Lord that would take up arms against their
brethren; nay, they would not even make any preparations for war;
yea, and also their king commanded them that they should not.
Alma 24:7
7 Now, these are the words which he said unto the people
concerning the matter: I thank my God, my beloved people, that
our great God has in goodness sent these our brethren, the
Nephites, unto us to preach unto us, and to convince us of the
traditions of our wicked fathers.
Alma 24:8
8 And behold, I thank my great God that he has given us a
portion of his Spirit to soften our hearts, that we have opened a
correspondence with these brethren, the Nephites.
Alma 24:9
9 And behold, I also thank my God, that by opening this
correspondence we have been convinced of our sins, and of the
many murders which we have committed.
Alma 24:10
10 And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath
granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also
that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which
we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts,
through the merits of his Son.
Alma 24:11
11 And now behold, my brethren, since it has been all that we
could do, (as we were the most lost of all mankind) to repent of
all our sins and the many murders which we have committed, and to
get God to take them away from our hearts, for it was all we
could do to repent sufficiently before God that he would take
away our stain--
Alma 24:12
12 Now, my best beloved brethren, since God hath taken away our
stains, and our swords have become bright, then let us stain our
swords no more with the blood of our brethren.
Alma 24:13
13 Behold, I say unto you, Nay, let us retain our swords that
they be not stained with the blood of our brethren; for perhaps,
if we should stain our swords again they can no more be washed
bright through the blood of the Son of our great God, which shall
be shed for the atonement of our sins.
Alma 24:14
14 And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things
known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made
these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our
souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy
he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might
be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.
Alma 24:15
15 Oh, how merciful is our God! And now behold, since it has
been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us,
and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they
may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or
at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be
judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our
brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean
thereby.
Alma 24:16
16 And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us,
behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them
deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony
that we have never used them, at the last day; and if our
brethren destroy us, behold, we shall go to our God and shall be
saved.
Alma 24:17
17 And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of
these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they
took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the
shedding of man's blood, and they did bury them up deep in the
earth.
Alma 24:18
18 And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God,
and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the
shedding of man's blood; and this they did, vouching and
covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their
brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take
away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than
spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with
their hands.
Alma 24:19
19 And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to
believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer
even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they
buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war,
for peace.
Alma 24:20
20 And it came to pass that their brethren, the Lamanites, made
preparations for war, and came up to the land of Nephi for the
purpose of destroying the king, and to place another in his
stead, and also of destroying the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi out
of the land.
Alma 24:21
21 Now when the people saw that they were coming against them
they went out to meet them, and prostrated themselves before them
to the earth, and began to call on the name of the Lord; and thus
they were in this attitude when the Lamanites began to fall upon
them, and began to slay them with the sword.
Alma 24:22
22 And thus without meeting any resistance, they did slay a
thousand and five of them; and we know that they are blessed, for
they have gone to dwell with their God.
Alma 24:23
23 Now when the Lamanites saw that their brethren would not flee
from the sword, neither would they turn aside to the right hand
or to the left, but that they would lie down and perish, and
praised God even in the very act of perishing under the sword--
Alma 24:24
24 Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying
them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen in them for
those of their brethren who had fallen under the sword, for they
repented of the things which they had done.
Alma 24:25
25 And it came to pass that they threw down their weapons of
war, and they would not take them again, for they were stung for
the murders which they had committed; and they came down even as
their brethren, relying upon the mercies of those whose arms were
lifted to slay them.
Alma 24:26
26 And it came to pass that the people of God were joined that
day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had
been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to
doubt but what they were saved.
Alma 24:27
27 And there was not a wicked man slain among them; but there
were more than a thousand brought to the knowledge of the truth;
thus we see that the Lord worketh in many ways to the salvation
of his people.
Alma 24:28
28 Now the greatest number of those of the Lamanites who slew so
many of their brethren were Amalekites and Amulonites, the
greatest number of whom were after the order of the Nehors.
Alma 24:29
29 Now, among those who joined the people of the Lord, there
were none who were Amalekites or Amulonites, or who were of the
order of Nehor, but they were actual descendants of Laman and
Lemuel.
Alma 24:30
30 And thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have
been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great
knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have
fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more
hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had
never known these things.
Alma 25
Chapter 25
Alma 25:1
1 And behold, now it came to pass that those Lamanites were more
angry because they had slain their brethren; therefore they swore
vengeance upon the Nephites; and they did no more attempt to slay
the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi at that time.
Alma 25:2
2 But they took their armies and went over into the borders of
the land of Zarahemla, and fell upon the people who were in the
land of Ammonihah, and destroyed them.
Alma 25:3
3 And after that, they had many battles with the Nephites, in
the which they were driven and slain.
Alma 25:4
4 And among the Lamanites who were slain were almost all the
seed of Amulon and his brethren, who were the priests of Noah,
and they were slain by the hands of the Nephites;
Alma 25:5
5 And the remainder, having fled into the east wilderness, and
having usurped the power and authority over the Lamanites, caused
that many of the Lamanites should perish by fire because of their
belief--
Alma 25:6
6 For many of them, after having suffered much loss and so many
afflictions, began to be stirred up in remembrance of the words
which Aaron and his brethren had preached to them in their land;
therefore they began to disbelieve the traditions of their
fathers, and to believe in the Lord, and that he gave great power
unto the Nephites; and thus there were many of them converted in
the wilderness.
Alma 25:7
7 And it came to pass that those rulers who were the remnant of
the children of Amulon caused that they should be put to death,
yea, all those that believed in these things.
Alma 25:8
8 Now this martyrdom caused that many of their brethren should
be stirred up to anger; and there began to be contention in the
wilderness; and the Lamanites began to hunt the seed of Amulon
and his brethren and began to slay them; and they fled into the
east wilderness.
Alma 25:9
9 And behold they are hunted at this day by the Lamanites. Thus
the words of Abinadi were brought to pass, which he said
concerning the seed of the priests who caused that he should
suffer death by fire.
Alma 25:10
10 For he said unto them: What ye shall do unto me shall be a
type of things to come.
Alma 25:11
11 And now Abinadi was the first that suffered death by fire
because of his belief in God; now this is what he meant, that
many should suffer death by fire, according as he had suffered.
Alma 25:12
12 And he said unto the priests of Noah that their seed should
cause many to be put to death, in the like manner as he was, and
that they should be scattered abroad and slain, even as a sheep
having no shepherd is driven and slain by wild beasts; and now
behold, these words were verified, for they were driven by the
Lamanites, and they were hunted, and they were smitten.
Alma 25:13
13 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that they
could not overpower the Nephites they returned again to their own
land; and many of them came over to dwell in the land of Ishmael
and the land of Nephi, and did join themselves to the people of
God, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.
Alma 25:14
14 And they did also bury their weapons of war, according as
their brethren had, and they began to be a righteous people; and
they did walk in the ways of the Lord, and did observe to keep
his commandments and his statutes.
Alma 25:15
15 Yea, and they did keep the law of Moses; for it was expedient
that they should keep the law of Moses as yet, for it was not all
fulfilled. But notwithstanding the law of Moses, they did look
forward to the coming of Christ, considering that the law of
Moses was a type of his coming, and believing that they must keep
those outward performances until the time that he should be
revealed unto them.
Alma 25:16
16 Now they did not suppose that salvation came by the law of
Moses; but the law of Moses did serve to strengthen their faith
in Christ; and thus they did retain a hope through faith, unto
eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy, which
spake of those things to come.
Alma 25:17
17 And now behold, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and Himni, and
their brethren did rejoice exceedingly, for the success which
they had had among the Lamanites, seeing that the Lord had
granted unto them according to their prayers, and that he had
also verified his word unto them in every particular.
Alma 26
Chapter 26
Alma 26:1
1 And now, these are the words of Ammon to his brethren, which
say thus: My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how
great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when
we started from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted
unto us such great blessings?
Alma 26:2
2 And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us?
Can ye tell?
Alma 26:3
3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites,
were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how
many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God!
And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that
we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about
this great work.
Alma 26:4
4 Behold, thousands of them do rejoice, and have been brought
into the fold of God.
Alma 26:5
5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did
thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the
day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves!
And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not
wasted.
Alma 26:6
6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last
day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds;
but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in
their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea,
neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the
enemy listeth to carry them.
Alma 26:7
7 But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest,
and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.
Alma 26:8
8 Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise,
yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work
righteousness forever.
Alma 26:9
9 For if we had not come up out of the land of Zarahemla, these
our dearly beloved brethren, who have so dearly beloved us, would
still have been racked with hatred against us, yea, and they
would also have been strangers to God.
Alma 26:10
10 And it came to pass that when Ammon had said these words, his
brother Aaron rebuked him, saying: Ammon, I fear that thy joy
doth carry thee away unto boasting.
Alma 26:11
11 But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength,
nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart
is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.
Alma 26:12
12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak;
therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God,
for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty
miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise
his name forever.
Alma 26:13
13 Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from
the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love,
and this because of the power of his word which is in us,
therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?
Alma 26:14
14 Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most
High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell.
Alma 26:15
15 Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and
destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting
light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled
about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have
been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous
work.
Alma 26:16
16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea,
we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God
forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who
can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his
long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto
you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.
Alma 26:17
17 Who could have supposed that our God would have been so
merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and
polluted state?
Alma 26:18
18 Behold, we went forth even in wrath, with mighty threatenings
to destroy his church.
Alma 26:19
19 Oh then, why did he not consign us to an awful destruction,
yea, why did he not let the sword of his justice fall upon us,
and doom us to eternal despair?
Alma 26:20
20 Oh, my soul, almost as it were, fleeth at the thought.
Behold, he did not exercise his justice upon us, but in his great
mercy hath brought us over that everlasting gulf of death and
misery, even to the salvation of our souls.
Alma 26:21
21 And now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that
knoweth these things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth
these things, save it be the penitent.
Alma 26:22
22 Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth
forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing--unto
such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it
shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed;
yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls
to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these
our brethren to repentance.
Alma 26:23
23 Now do ye remember, my brethren, that we said unto our
brethren in the land of Zarahemla, we go up to the land of Nephi,
to preach unto our brethren, the Lamanites, and they laughed us
to scorn?
Alma 26:24
24 For they said unto us: Do ye suppose that ye can bring the
Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth? Do ye suppose that ye
can convince the Lamanites of the incorrectness of the traditions
of their fathers, as stiffnecked a people as they are; whose
hearts delight in the shedding of blood; whose days have been
spent in the grossest iniquity; whose ways have been the ways of
a transgressor from the beginning? Now my brethren, ye remember
that this was their language.
Alma 26:25
25 And moreover they did say: Let us take up arms against them,
that we destroy them and their iniquity out of the land, lest
they overrun us and destroy us.
Alma 26:26
26 But behold, my beloved brethren, we came into the wilderness
not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent
that perhaps we might save some few of their souls.
Alma 26:27
27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn
back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy
brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine
afflictions, and I will give unto you success.
Alma 26:28
28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them;
and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered
every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house,
relying upon the mercies of the world--not upon the mercies of
the world alone but upon the mercies of God.
Alma 26:29
29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we
have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them
upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and
their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and
mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have
been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into
prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been
delivered again.
Alma 26:30
30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this,
that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we
supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the
means of saving some.
Alma 26:31
31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our
labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many;
yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love
towards their brethren and also towards us.
Alma 26:32
32 For behold, they had rather sacrifice their lives than even
to take the life of their enemy; and they have buried their
weapons of war deep in the earth, because of their love towards
their brethren.
Alma 26:33
33 And now behold I say unto you, has there been so great love
in all the land? Behold, I say unto you, Nay, there has not,
even among the Nephites.
Alma 26:34
34 For behold, they would take up arms against their brethren;
they would not suffer themselves to be slain. But behold how
many of these have laid down their lives; and we know that they
have gone to their God, because of their love and of their hatred
to sin.
Alma 26:35
35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you,
there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we,
since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto
boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all
understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful
Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe
on his name.
Alma 26:36
36 Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my
life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption
from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has
been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of
Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I
say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us,
wanderers in a strange land.
Alma 26:37
37 Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people,
whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and
his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy,
and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my
God forever. Amen.
Alma 27
Chapter 27
Alma 27:1
1 Now it came to pass that when those Lamanites who had gone to
war against the Nephites had found, after their many struggles to
destroy them, that it was in vain to seek their destruction, they
returned again to the land of Nephi.
Alma 27:2
2 And it came to pass that the Amalekites, because of their
loss, were exceedingly angry. And when they saw that they could
not seek revenge from the Nephites, they began to stir up the
people in anger against their brethren, the people of
Anti-Nephi-Lehi; therefore they began again to destroy them.
Alma 27:3
3 Now this people again refused to take their arms, and they
suffered themselves to be slain according to the desires of their
enemies.
Alma 27:4
4 Now when Ammon and his brethren saw this work of destruction
among those whom they so dearly beloved, and among those who had
so dearly beloved them--for they were treated as though they were
angels sent from God to save them from everlasting
destruction--therefore, when Ammon and his brethren saw this
great work of destruction, they were moved with compassion, and
they said unto the king:
Alma 27:5
5 Let us gather together this people of the Lord, and let us go
down to the land of Zarahemla to our brethren the Nephites, and
flee out of the hands of our enemies, that we be not destroyed.
Alma 27:6
6 But the king said unto them: Behold, the Nephites will destroy
us, because of the many murders and sins we have committed
against them.
Alma 27:7
7 And Ammon said: I will go and inquire of the Lord, and if he
say unto us, go down unto our brethren, will ye go?
Alma 27:8
8 And the king said unto him: Yea, if the Lord saith unto us go,
we will go down unto our brethren, and we will be their slaves
until we repair unto them the many murders and sins which we have
committed against them.
Alma 27:9
9 But Ammon said unto him: It is against the law of our
brethren, which was established by my father, that there should
be any slaves among them; therefore let us go down and rely upon
the mercies of our brethren.
Alma 27:10
10 But the king said unto him: Inquire of the Lord, and if he
saith unto us go, we will go; otherwise we will perish in the
land.
Alma 27:11
11 And it came to pass that Ammon went and inquired of the Lord,
and the Lord said unto him:
Alma 27:12
12 Get this people out of this land, that they perish not; for
Satan has great hold on the hearts of the Amalekites, who do stir
up the Lamanites to anger against their brethren to slay them;
therefore get thee out of this land; and blessed are this people
in this generation, for I will preserve them.
Alma 27:13
13 And now it came to pass that Ammon went and told the king all
the words which the Lord had said unto him.
Alma 27:14
14 And they gathered together all their people, yea, all the
people of the Lord, and did gather together all their flocks and
herds, and departed out of the land, and came into the wilderness
which divided the land of Nephi from the land of Zarahemla, and
came over near the borders of the land.
Alma 27:15
15 And it came to pass that Ammon said unto them: Behold, I and
my brethren will go forth into the land of Zarahemla, and ye
shall remain here until we return; and we will try the hearts of
our brethren, whether they will that ye shall come into their
land.
Alma 27:16
16 And it came to pass that as Ammon was going forth into the
land, that he and his brethren met Alma, over in the place of
which has been spoken; and behold, this was a joyful meeting.
Alma 27:17
17 Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea,
he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting
of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.
Alma 27:18
18 Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which
none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of
happiness.
Alma 27:19
19 Now the joy of Alma in meeting his brethren was truly great,
and also the joy of Aaron, of Omner, and Himni; but behold their
joy was not that to exceed their strength.
Alma 27:20
20 And now it came to pass that Alma conducted his brethren back
to the land of Zarahemla; even to his own house. And they went
and told the chief judge all the things that had happened unto
them in the land of Nephi, among their brethren, the Lamanites.
Alma 27:21
21 And it came to pass that the chief judge sent a proclamation
throughout all the land, desiring the voice of the people
concerning the admitting their brethren, who were the people of
Anti-Nephi-Lehi.
Alma 27:22
22 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came,
saying: Behold, we will give up the land of Jershon, which is on
the east by the sea, which joins the land Bountiful, which is on
the south of the land Bountiful; and this land Jershon is the
land which we will give unto our brethren for an inheritance.
Alma 27:23
23 And behold, we will set our armies between the land Jershon
and the land Nephi, that we may protect our brethren in the land
Jershon; and this we do for our brethren, on account of their
fear to take up arms against their brethren lest they should
commit sin; and this their great fear came because of their sore
repentance which they had, on account of their many murders and
their awful wickedness.
Alma 27:24
24 And now behold, this will we do unto our brethren, that they
may inherit the land Jershon; and we will guard them from their
enemies with our armies, on condition that they will give us a
portion of their substance to assist us that we may maintain our
armies.
Alma 27:25
25 Now, it came to pass that when Ammon had heard this, he
returned to the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, and also Alma with
him, into the wilderness, where they had pitched their tents, and
made known unto them all these things. And Alma also related
unto them his conversion, with Ammon and Aaron, and his brethren.
Alma 27:26
26 And it came to pass that it did cause great joy among them.
And they went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession
of the land of Jershon; and they were called by the Nephites the
people of Ammon; therefore they were distinguished by that name
ever after.
Alma 27:27
27 And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered
among the people who were of the church of God. And they were
also distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards
men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things;
and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end.
Alma 27:28
28 And they did look upon shedding the blood of their brethren
with the greatest abhorrence; and they never could be prevailed
upon to take up arms against their brethren; and they never did
look upon death with any degree of terror, for their hope and
views of Christ and the resurrection; therefore, death was
swallowed up to them by the victory of Christ over it.
Alma 27:29
29 Therefore, they would suffer death in the most aggravating
and distressing manner which could be inflicted by their
brethren, before they would take the sword or cimeter to smite
them.
Alma 27:30
30 And thus they were a zealous and beloved people, a highly
favored people of the Lord.
Alma 28
Chapter 28
Alma 28:1
1 And now it came to pass that after the people of Ammon were
established in the land of Jershon, and a church also established
in the land of Jershon, and the armies of the Nephites were set
round about the land of Jershon, yea, in all the borders round
about the land of Zarahemla; behold the armies of the Lamanites
had followed their brethren into the wilderness.
Alma 28:2
2 And thus there was a tremendous battle; yea, even such an one
as never had been known among all the people in the land from the
time Lehi left Jerusalem; yea, and tens of thousands of the
Lamanites were slain and scattered abroad.
Alma 28:3
3 Yea, and also there was a tremendous slaughter among the
people of Nephi; nevertheless, the Lamanites were driven and
scattered, and the people of Nephi returned again to their land.
Alma 28:4
4 And now this was a time that there was a great mourning and
lamentation heard throughout all the land, among all the people
of Nephi--
Alma 28:5
5 Yea, the cry of widows mourning for their husbands, and also
of fathers mourning for their sons, and the daughter for the
brother, yea, the brother for the father; and thus the cry of
mourning was heard among all of them, mourning for their kindred
who had been slain.
Alma 28:6
6 And now surely this was a sorrowful day; yea, a time of
solemnity, and a time of much fasting and prayer.
Alma 28:7
7 And thus endeth the fifteenth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi;
Alma 28:8
8 And this is the account of Ammon and his brethren, their
journeyings in the land of Nephi, their sufferings in the land,
their sorrows, and their afflictions, and their incomprehensible
joy, and the reception and safety of the brethren in the land of
Jershon. And now may the Lord, the Redeemer of all men, bless
their souls forever.
Alma 28:9
9 And this is the account of the wars and contentions among the
Nephites, and also the wars between the Nephites and the
Lamanites; and the fifteenth year of the reign of the judges is
ended.
Alma 28:10
10 And from the first year to the fifteenth has brought to pass
the destruction of many thousand lives; yea, it has brought to
pass an awful scene of bloodshed.
Alma 28:11
11 And the bodies of many thousands are laid low in the earth,
while the bodies of many thousands are moldering in heaps upon
the face of the earth; yea, and many thousands are mourning for
the loss of their kindred, because they have reason to fear,
according to the promises of the Lord, that they are consigned to
a state of endless wo.
Alma 28:12
12 While many thousands of others truly mourn for the loss of
their kindred, yet they rejoice and exult in the hope, and even
know, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are raised
to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of never-ending
happiness.
Alma 28:13
13 And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of
sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by
the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of
men.
Alma 28:14
14 And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor
in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of
sorrow, and also of rejoicing--sorrow because of death and
destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ
unto life.
Alma 29
Chapter 29
Alma 29:1
1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart,
that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a
voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!
Alma 29:2
2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of
thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should
repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow
upon all the face of the earth.
Alma 29:3
3 But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to
be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.
Alma 29:4
4 I ought not to harrow up in my desires, the firm decree of a
just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their
desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that
he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are
unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto
salvation or unto destruction.
Alma 29:5
5 Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men;
he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that
knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his
desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or
remorse of conscience.
Alma 29:6
6 Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more
than to perform the work to which I have been called?
Alma 29:7
7 Why should I desire that I were an angel, that I could speak
unto all the ends of the earth?
Alma 29:8
8 For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own
nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he
seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord
doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.
Alma 29:9
9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in
it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord
hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may
be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to
repentance; and this is my joy.
Alma 29:10
10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent,
and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with
joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even
that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his
merciful arm which he extended towards me.
Alma 29:11
11 Yea, and I also remember the captivity of my fathers; for I
surely do know that the Lord did deliver them out of bondage, and
by this did establish his church; yea, the Lord God, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, did deliver them
out of bondage.
Alma 29:12
12 Yea, I have always remembered the captivity of my fathers;
and that same God who delivered them out of the hands of the
Egyptians did deliver them out of bondage.
Alma 29:13
13 Yea, and that same God did establish his church among them;
yea, and that same God hath called me by a holy calling, to
preach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success,
in the which my joy is full.
Alma 29:14
14 But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more
full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to
the land of Nephi.
Alma 29:15
15 Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth
much fruit; and how great shall be their reward!
Alma 29:16
16 Now, when I think of the success of these my brethren my soul
is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as
it were, so great is my joy.
Alma 29:17
17 And now may God grant unto these, my brethren, that they may
sit down in the kingdom of God; yea, and also all those who are
the fruit of their labors that they may go no more out, but that
they may praise him forever. And may God grant that it may be
done according to my words, even as I have spoken. Amen.
Alma 30
Chapter 30
Alma 30:1
1 Behold, now it came to pass that after the people of Ammon
were established in the land of Jershon, yea, and also after the
Lamanites were driven out of the land, and their dead were buried
by the people of the land--
Alma 30:2
2 Now their dead were not numbered because of the greatness of
their numbers; neither were the dead of the Nephites
numbered--but it came to pass after they had buried their dead,
and also after the days of fasting, and mourning, and prayer,
(and it was in the sixteenth year of the reign of the judges over
the people of Nephi) there began to be continual peace throughout
all the land.
Alma 30:3
3 Yea, and the people did observe to keep the commandments of
the Lord; and they were strict in observing the ordinances of
God, according to the law of Moses; for they were taught to keep
the law of Moses until it should be fulfilled.
Alma 30:4
4 And thus the people did have no disturbance in all the
sixteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of
Nephi.
Alma 30:5
5 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the
seventeenth year of the reign of the judges, there was continual
peace.
Alma 30:6
6 But it came to pass in the latter end of the seventeenth year,
there came a man into the land of Zarahemla, and he was
Anti-Christ, for he began to preach unto the people against the
prophecies which had been spoken by the prophets, concerning the
coming of Christ.
Alma 30:7
7 Now there was no law against a man's belief; for it was
strictly contrary to the commands of God that there should be a
law which should bring men on to unequal grounds.
Alma 30:8
8 For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will
serve.
Alma 30:9
9 Now if a man desired to serve God, it was his privilege; or
rather, if he believed in God it was his privilege to serve him;
but if he did not believe in him there was no law to punish him.
Alma 30:10
10 But if he murdered he was punished unto death; and if he
robbed he was also punished; and if he stole he was also
punished; and if he committed adultery he was also punished; yea,
for all this wickedness they were punished.
Alma 30:11
11 For there was a law that men should be judged according to
their crimes. Nevertheless, there was no law against a man's
belief; therefore, a man was punished only for the crimes which
he had done; therefore all men were on equal grounds.
Alma 30:12
12 And this Anti-Christ, whose name was Korihor, (and the law
could have no hold upon him) began to preach unto the people that
there should be no Christ. And after this manner did he preach,
saying:
Alma 30:13
13 O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why
do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look
for a Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come.
Alma 30:14
14 Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say
are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish
traditions of your fathers.
Alma 30:15
15 How do ye know of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of
things which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there
shall be a Christ.
Alma 30:16
16 Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins.
But behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this
derangement of your minds comes because of the traditions of your
fathers, which lead you away into a belief of things which are
not so.
Alma 30:17
17 And many more such things did he say unto them, telling them
that there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but
every man fared in this life according to the management of the
creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius,
and that every man conquered according to his strength; and
whatsoever a man did was no crime.
Alma 30:18
18 And thus he did preach unto them, leading away the hearts of
many, causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness,
yea, leading away many women, and also men, to commit
whoredoms--telling them that when a man was dead, that was the
end thereof.
Alma 30:19
19 Now this man went over to the land of Jershon also, to preach
these things among the people of Ammon, who were once the people
of the Lamanites.
Alma 30:20
20 But behold they were more wise than many of the Nephites; for
they took him, and bound him, and carried him before Ammon, who
was a high priest over that people.
Alma 30:21
21 And it came to pass that he caused that he should be carried
out of the land. And he came over into the land of Gideon, and
began to preach unto them also; and here he did not have much
success, for he was taken and bound and carried before the high
priest, and also the chief judge over the land.
Alma 30:22
22 And it came to pass that the high priest said unto him: Why
do ye go about perverting the ways of the Lord? Why do ye teach
this people that there shall be no Christ, to interrupt their
rejoicings? Why do ye speak against all the prophecies of the
holy prophets?
Alma 30:23
23 Now the high priest's name was Giddonah. And Korihor said
unto him: Because I do not teach the foolish traditions of your
fathers, and because I do not teach this people to bind
themselves down under the foolish ordinances and performances
which are laid down by ancient priests, to usurp power and
authority over them, to keep them in ignorance, that they may not
lift up their heads, but be brought down according to thy words.
Alma 30:24
24 Ye say that this people is a free people. Behold, I say they
are in bondage. Ye say that those ancient prophecies are true.
Behold, I say that ye do not know that they are true.
Alma 30:25
25 Ye say that this people is a guilty and a fallen people,
because of the transgression of a parent. Behold, I say that a
child is not guilty because of its parents.
Alma 30:26
26 And ye also say that Christ shall come. But behold, I say
that ye do not know that there shall be a Christ. And ye say
also that he shall be slain for the sins of the world--
Alma 30:27
27 And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish
traditions of your fathers, and according to your own desires;
and ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may
glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst
not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their
rights and privileges.
Alma 30:28
28 Yea, they durst not make use of that which is their own lest
they should offend their priests, who do yoke them according to
their desires, and have brought them to believe, by their
traditions and their dreams and their whims and their visions and
their pretended mysteries, that they should, if they did not do
according to their words, offend some unknown being, who they say
is God--a being who never has been seen or known, who never was
nor ever will be.
Alma 30:29
29 Now when the high priest and the chief judge saw the hardness
of his heart, yea, when they saw that he would revile even
against God, they would not make any reply to his words; but they
caused that he should be bound; and they delivered him up into
the hands of the officers, and sent him to the land of Zarahemla,
that he might be brought before Alma, and the chief judge who was
governor over all the land.
Alma 30:30
30 And it came to pass that when he was brought before Alma and
the chief judge, he did go on in the same manner as he did in the
land of Gideon; yea, he went on to blaspheme.
Alma 30:31
31 And he did rise up in great swelling words before Alma, and
did revile against the priests and teachers, accusing them of
leading away the people after the silly traditions of their
fathers, for the sake of glutting on the labors of the people.
Alma 30:32
32 Now Alma said unto him: Thou knowest that we do not glut
ourselves upon the labors of this people; for behold I have
labored even from the commencement of the reign of the judges
until now, with mine own hands for my support, notwithstanding my
many travels round about the land to declare the word of God unto
my people.
Alma 30:33
33 And notwithstanding the many labors which I have performed in
the church, I have never received so much as even one senine for
my labor; neither has any of my brethren, save it were in the
judgment-seat; and then we have received only according to law
for our time.
Alma 30:34
34 And now, if we do not receive anything for our labors in the
church, what doth it profit us to labor in the church save it
were to declare the truth, that we may have rejoicings in the joy
of our brethren?
Alma 30:35
35 Then why sayest thou that we preach unto this people to get
gain, when thou, of thyself, knowest that we receive no gain?
And now, believest thou that we deceive this people, that causes
such joy in their hearts?
Alma 30:36
36 And Korihor answered him, Yea.
Alma 30:37
37 And then Alma said unto him: Believest thou that there is a
God?
Alma 30:38
38 And he answered, Nay.
Alma 30:39
39 Now Alma said unto him: Will ye deny again that there is a
God, and also deny the Christ? For behold, I say unto you, I
know there is a God, and also that Christ shall come.
Alma 30:40
40 And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that
Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be
your word only.
Alma 30:41
41 But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these
things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto
you that they are true; and will ye deny them? Believest thou
that these things are true?
Alma 30:42
42 Behold, I know that thou believest, but thou art possessed
with a lying spirit, and ye have put off the Spirit of God that
it may have no place in you; but the devil has power over you,
and he doth carry you about, working devices that he may destroy
the children of God.
Alma 30:43
43 And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign,
that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me
that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of
thy words.
Alma 30:44
44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye
tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have
the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy
prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all
things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things
that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also
all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that
there is a Supreme Creator.
Alma 30:45
45 And yet do ye go about, leading away the hearts of this
people, testifying unto them there is no God? And yet will ye
deny against all these witnesses? And he said: Yea, I will deny,
except ye shall show me a sign.
Alma 30:46
46 And now it came to pass that Alma said unto him: Behold, I am
grieved because of the hardness of your heart, yea, that ye will
still resist the spirit of the truth, that thy soul may be
destroyed.
Alma 30:47
47 But behold, it is better that thy soul should be lost than
that thou shouldst be the means of bringing many souls down to
destruction, by thy lying and by thy flattering words; therefore
if thou shalt deny again, behold God shall smite thee, that thou
shalt become dumb, that thou shalt never open thy mouth any more,
that thou shalt not deceive this people any more.
Alma 30:48
48 Now Korihor said unto him: I do not deny the existence of a
God, but I do not believe that there is a God; and I say also,
that ye do not know that there is a God; and except ye show me a
sign, I will not believe.
Alma 30:49
49 Now Alma said unto him: This will I give unto thee for a
sign, that thou shalt be struck dumb, according to my words; and
I say, that in the name of God, ye shall be struck dumb, that ye
shall no more have utterance.
Alma 30:50
50 Now when Alma had said these words, Korihor was struck dumb,
that he could not have utterance, according to the words of Alma.
Alma 30:51
51 And now when the chief judge saw this, he put forth his hand
and wrote unto Korihor, saying: Art thou convinced of the power
of God? In whom did ye desire that Alma should show forth his
sign? Would ye that he should afflict others, to show unto thee
a sign? Behold, he has showed unto you a sign; and now will ye
dispute more?
Alma 30:52
52 And Korihor put forth his hand and wrote, saying: I know that
I am dumb, for I cannot speak; and I know that nothing save it
were the power of God could bring this upon me; yea, and I always
knew that there was a God.
Alma 30:53
53 But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto
me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this
people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And
he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that
which I should say. And I have taught his words; and I taught
them because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind; and I
taught them, even until I had much success, insomuch that I
verily believed that they were true; and for this cause I
withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse
upon me.
Alma 30:54
54 Now when he had said this, he besought that Alma should pray
unto God, that the curse might be taken from him.
Alma 30:55
55 But Alma said unto him: If this curse should be taken from
thee thou wouldst again lead away the hearts of this people;
therefore, it shall be unto thee even as the Lord will.
Alma 30:56
56 And it came to pass that the curse was not taken off of
Korihor; but he was cast out, and went about from house to house
begging for his food.
Alma 30:57
57 Now the knowledge of what had happened unto Korihor was
immediately published throughout all the land; yea, the
proclamation was sent forth by the chief judge to all the people
in the land, declaring unto those who had believed in the words
of Korihor that they must speedily repent, lest the same
judgments would come unto them.
Alma 30:58
58 And it came to pass that they were all convinced of the
wickedness of Korihor; therefore they were all converted again
unto the Lord; and this put an end to the iniquity after the
manner of Korihor. And Korihor did go about from house to house,
begging food for his support.
Alma 30:59
59 And it came to pass that as he went forth among the people,
yea, among a people who had separated themselves from the
Nephites and called themselves Zoramites, being led by a man
whose name was Zoram--and as he went forth amongst them, behold,
he was run upon and trodden down, even until he was dead.
Alma 30:60
60 And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the
Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his
children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to
hell.
Alma 31
Chapter 31
Alma 31:1
1 Now it came to pass that after the end of Korihor, Alma having
received tidings that the Zoramites were perverting the ways of
the Lord, and that Zoram, who was their leader, was leading the
hearts of the people to bow down to dumb idols, his heart again
began to sicken because of the iniquity of the people.
Alma 31:2
2 For it was the cause of great sorrow to Alma to know of
iniquity among his people; therefore his heart was exceedingly
sorrowful because of the separation of the Zoramites from the
Nephites.
Alma 31:3
3 Now the Zoramites had gathered themselves together in a land
which they called Antionum, which was east of the land of
Zarahemla, which lay nearly bordering upon the seashore, which
was south of the land of Jershon, which also bordered upon the
wilderness south, which wilderness was full of the Lamanites.
Alma 31:4
4 Now the Nephites greatly feared that the Zoramites would enter
into a correspondence with the Lamanites, and that it would be
the means of great loss on the part of the Nephites.
Alma 31:5
5 And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to
lead the people to do that which was just--yea, it had had more
powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or
anything else, which had happened unto them--therefore Alma
thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the
word of God.
Alma 31:6
6 Therefore he took Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner; and Himni he
did leave in the church in Zarahemla; but the former three he
took with him, and also Amulek and Zeezrom, who were at Melek;
and he also took two of his sons.
Alma 31:7
7 Now the eldest of his sons he took not with him, and his name
was Helaman; but the names of those whom he took with him were
Shiblon and Corianton; and these are the names of those who went
with him among the Zoramites, to preach unto them the word.
Alma 31:8
8 Now the Zoramites were dissenters from the Nephites; therefore
they had had the word of God preached unto them.
Alma 31:9
9 But they had fallen into great errors, for they would not
observe to keep the commandments of God, and his statutes,
according to the law of Moses.
Alma 31:10
10 Neither would they observe the performances of the church, to
continue in prayer and supplication to God daily, that they might
not enter into temptation.
Alma 31:11
11 Yea, in fine, they did pervert the ways of the Lord in very
many instances; therefore, for this cause, Alma and his brethren
went into the land to preach the word unto them.
Alma 31:12
12 Now, when they had come into the land, behold, to their
astonishment they found that the Zoramites had built synagogues,
and that they did gather themselves together on one day of the
week, which day they did call the day of the Lord; and they did
worship after a manner which Alma and his brethren had never
beheld;
Alma 31:13
13 For they had a place built up in the center of their
synagogue, a place for standing, which was high above the head,
and the top thereof would only admit one person.
Alma 31:14
14 Therefore, whosoever desired to worship must go forth and
stand upon the top thereof, and stretch forth his hands towards
heaven, and cry with a loud voice, saying:
Alma 31:15
15 Holy, holy God; we believe that thou art God, and we believe
that thou art holy, and that thou wast a spirit, and that thou
art a spirit, and that thou wilt be a spirit forever.
Alma 31:16
16 Holy God, we believe that thou hast separated us from our
brethren; and we do not believe in the tradition of our brethren,
which was handed down to them by the childishness of their
fathers; but we believe that thou hast elected us to be thy holy
children; and also thou hast made it known unto us that there
shall be no Christ.
Alma 31:17
17 But thou art the same yesterday, today, and forever; and thou
hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are
elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell; for the which
holiness, O God, we thank thee; and we also thank thee that thou
hast elected us, that we may not be led away after the foolish
traditions of our brethren, which doth bind them down to a belief
of Christ, which doth lead their hearts to wander far from thee,
our God.
Alma 31:18
18 And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a
holy people. Amen.
Alma 31:19
19 Now it came to pass that after Alma and his brethren and his
sons had heard these prayers, they were astonished beyond all
measure.
Alma 31:20
20 For behold, every man did go forth and offer up these same
prayers.
Alma 31:21
21 Now the place was called by them Rameumptom, which, being
interpreted, is the holy stand.
Alma 31:22
22 Now, from this stand they did offer up, every man, the
selfsame prayer unto God, thanking their God that they were
chosen of him, and that he did not lead them away after the
tradition of their brethren, and that their hearts were not
stolen away to believe in things to come, which they knew nothing
about.
Alma 31:23
23 Now, after the people had all offered up thanks after this
manner, they returned to their homes, never speaking of their God
again until they had assembled themselves together again to the
holy stand, to offer up thanks after their manner.
Alma 31:24
24 Now when Alma saw this his heart was grieved; for he saw that
they were a wicked and a perverse people; yea, he saw that their
hearts were set upon gold, and upon silver, and upon all manner
of fine goods.
Alma 31:25
25 Yea, and he also saw that their hearts were lifted up unto
great boasting, in their pride.
Alma 31:26
26 And he lifted up his voice to heaven, and cried, saying: O,
how long, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that thy servants shall dwell
here below in the flesh, to behold such gross wickedness among
the children of men?
Alma 31:27
27 Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are
swallowed up in their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto thee
with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness,
with the vain things of the world.
Alma 31:28
28 Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets,
and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their
precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their
hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say--We
thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee, while
others shall perish.
Alma 31:29
29 Yea, and they say that thou hast made it known unto them that
there shall be no Christ.
Alma 31:30
30 O Lord God, how long wilt thou suffer that such wickedness
and infidelity shall be among this people? O Lord, wilt thou
give me strength, that I may bear with mine infirmities. For I
am infirm, and such wickedness among this people doth pain my
soul.
Alma 31:31
31 O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort
my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may
have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions
which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people.
Alma 31:32
32 O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success,
and also my fellow laborers who are with me--yea, Ammon, and
Aaron, and Omner, and also Amulek and Zeezrom and also my two
sons--yea, even all these wilt thou comfort, O Lord. Yea, wilt
thou comfort their souls in Christ.
Alma 31:33
33 Wilt thou grant unto them that they may have strength, that
they may bear their afflictions which shall come upon them
because of the iniquities of this people.
Alma 31:34
34 O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in
bringing them again unto thee in Christ.
Alma 31:35
35 Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them
are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and
wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.
Alma 31:36
36 Now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words, that
he clapped his hands upon all them who were with him. And
behold, as he clapped his hands upon them, they were filled with
the Holy Spirit.
Alma 31:37
37 And after that they did separate themselves one from another,
taking no thought for themselves what they should eat, or what
they should drink, or what they should put on.
Alma 31:38
38 And the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not,
neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength,
that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were
swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the
prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith.
Alma 32
Chapter 32
Alma 32:1
1 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and began to
preach the word of God unto the people, entering into their
synagogues, and into their houses; yea, and even they did preach
the word in their streets.
Alma 32:2
2 And it came to pass that after much labor among them, they
began to have success among the poor class of people; for behold,
they were cast out of the synagogues because of the coarseness of
their apparel--
Alma 32:3
3 Therefore they were not permitted to enter into their
synagogues to worship God, being esteemed as filthiness;
therefore they were poor; yea, they were esteemed by their
brethren as dross; therefore they were poor as to things of the
world; and also they were poor in heart.
Alma 32:4
4 Now, as Alma was teaching and speaking unto the people upon
the hill Onidah, there came a great multitude unto him, who were
those of whom we have been speaking, of whom were poor in heart,
because of their poverty as to the things of the world.
Alma 32:5
5 And they came unto Alma; and the one who was the foremost
among them said unto him: Behold, what shall these my brethren
do, for they are despised of all men because of their poverty,
yea, and more especially by our priests; for they have cast us
out of our synagogues which we have labored abundantly to build
with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our
exceeding poverty; and we have no place to worship our God; and
behold, what shall we do?
Alma 32:6
6 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face
immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he
beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them and that
they were in a preparation to hear the word.
Alma 32:7
7 Therefore he did say no more to the other multitude; but he
stretched forth his hand, and cried unto those whom he beheld,
who were truly penitent, and said unto them:
Alma 32:8
8 I behold that ye are lowly in heart; and if so, blessed are
ye.
Alma 32:9
9 Behold thy brother hath said, What shall we do?--for we are
cast out of our synagogues, that we cannot worship our God.
Alma 32:10
10 Behold I say unto you, do ye suppose that ye cannot worship
God save it be in your synagogues only?
Alma 32:11
11 Moreover, I would ask, do ye suppose that ye must not worship
God only once in a week?
Alma 32:12
12 I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your
synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom;
for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is
because that ye are cast out, that ye are despised of your
brethren because of your exceeding poverty, that ye are brought
to a lowliness of heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be
humble.
Alma 32:13
13 And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are
ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh
repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy;
and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall
be saved.
Alma 32:14
14 And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled
to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are
more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?
Alma 32:15
15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his
sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed--yea,
much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble
because of their exceeding poverty.
Alma 32:16
16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without
being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed
is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without
stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the
word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.
Alma 32:17
17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a
sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall
believe.
Alma 32:18
18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for
if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he
knoweth it.
Alma 32:19
19 And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of
God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath
cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?
Alma 32:20
20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you,
that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it
shall be unto every man according to his work.
Alma 32:21
21 And now as I said concerning faith--faith is not to have a
perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope
for things which are not seen, which are true.
Alma 32:22
22 And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should
remember, that God is merciful unto all who believe on his name;
therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should
believe, yea, even on his word.
Alma 32:23
23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not
only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do
have words given unto them many times which confound the wise and
the learned.
Alma 32:24
24 And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have desired to know of
me what ye shall do because ye are afflicted and cast out--now I
do not desire that ye should suppose that I mean to judge you
only according to that which is true--
Alma 32:25
25 For I do not mean that ye all of you have been compelled to
humble yourselves; for I verily believe that there are some among
you who would humble themselves, let them be in whatsoever
circumstances they might.
Alma 32:26
26 Now, as I said concerning faith--that it was not a perfect
knowledge--even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their
surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a
perfect knowledge.
Alma 32:27
27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even
to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith,
yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this
desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can
give place for a portion of my words.
Alma 32:28
28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give
place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be
a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your
unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it
will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these
swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves--It must
needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for
it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten
my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
Alma 32:29
29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto
you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect
knowledge.
Alma 32:30
30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and
beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good;
for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow.
And now behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it
will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a
good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.
Alma 32:31
31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say
unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own
likeness.
Alma 32:32
32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth
not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.
Alma 32:33
33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and
planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to
grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.
Alma 32:34
34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your
knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant;
and this because ye know, for ye know that the word hath swelled
your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your
understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth
begin to expand.
Alma 32:35
35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is
light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is
discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now
behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge
perfect?
Alma 32:36
36 Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your
faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed
that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good.
Alma 32:37
37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let
us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may
grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye
nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and
bring forth fruit.
Alma 32:38
38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its
nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat
of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it
withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.
Alma 32:39
39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it
because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is
because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree,
therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.
Alma 32:40
40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward
with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of
the fruit of the tree of life.
Alma 32:41
41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it
beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with
patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take
root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting
life.
Alma 32:42
42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your
patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in
you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is
most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which
is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is
pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are
filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.
Alma 32:43
43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith,
and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for
the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.
Alma 33
Chapter 33
Alma 33:1
1 Now after Alma had spoken these words, they sent forth unto
him desiring to know whether they should believe in one God, that
they might obtain this fruit of which he had spoken, or how they
should plant the seed, or the word of which he had spoken, which
he said must be planted in their hearts; or in what manner they
should begin to exercise their faith.
Alma 33:2
2 And Alma said unto them: Behold, ye have said that ye could
not worship your God because ye are cast out of your synagogues.
But behold, I say unto you, if ye suppose that ye cannot worship
God, ye do greatly err, and ye ought to search the scriptures; if
ye suppose that they have taught you this, ye do not understand
them.
Alma 33:3
3 Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old,
has said concerning prayer or worship?
Alma 33:4
4 For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my
prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast
merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies,
and thou didst turn them to me.
Alma 33:5
5 Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto
thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou
didst hear me.
Alma 33:6
6 And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear
me in my prayer.
Alma 33:7
7 And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto
thee, thou didst hear me.
Alma 33:8
8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto
thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear
them.
Alma 33:9
9 Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my
cries in the midst of thy congregations.
Alma 33:10
10 Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out
and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my
cries, and wast angry with mine enemies, and thou didst visit
them in thine anger with speedy destruction.
Alma 33:11
11 And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my
sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus
merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine
afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy
judgments away from me, because of thy Son.
Alma 33:12
12 And now Alma said unto them: Do ye believe those scriptures
which have been written by them of old?
Alma 33:13
13 Behold, if ye do, ye must believe what Zenos said; for,
behold he said: Thou hast turned away thy judgments because of
thy Son.
Alma 33:14
14 Now behold, my brethren, I would ask if ye have read the
scriptures? If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the Son of God?
Alma 33:15
15 For it is not written that Zenos alone spake of these things,
but Zenock also spake of these things--
Alma 33:16
16 For behold, he said: Thou art angry, O Lord, with this
people, because they will not understand thy mercies which thou
hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son.
Alma 33:17
17 And now, my brethren, ye see that a second prophet of old has
testified of the Son of God, and because the people would not
understand his words they stoned him to death.
Alma 33:18
18 But behold, this is not all; these are not the only ones who
have spoken concerning the Son of God.
Alma 33:19
19 Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was
raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it
might live. And many did look and live.
Alma 33:20
20 But few understood the meaning of those things, and this
because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who
were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they
perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did
not believe that it would heal them.
Alma 33:21
21 O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about
your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly,
or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be
slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might
perish?
Alma 33:22
22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about
your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will
come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to
atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead,
which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall
stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day,
according to their works.
Alma 33:23
23 And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word
in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it
by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up
in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you
that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And
even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen.
Alma 34
Chapter 34
Alma 34:1
1 And now it came to pass that after Alma had spoken these words
unto them he sat down upon the ground, and Amulek arose and began
to teach them, saying:
Alma 34:2
2 My brethren, I think that it is impossible that ye should be
ignorant of the things which have been spoken concerning the
coming of Christ, who is taught by us to be the Son of God; yea,
I know that these things were taught unto you bountifully before
your dissension from among us.
Alma 34:3
3 And as ye have desired of my beloved brother that he should
make known unto you what ye should do, because of your
afflictions; and he hath spoken somewhat unto you to prepare your
minds; yea, and he hath exhorted you unto faith and to patience--
Alma 34:4
4 Yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to plant
the word in your hearts, that ye may try the experiment of its
goodness.
Alma 34:5
5 And we have beheld that the great question which is in your
minds is whether the word be in the Son of God, or whether there
shall be no Christ.
Alma 34:6
6 And ye also beheld that my brother has proved unto you, in
many instances, that the word is in Christ unto salvation.
Alma 34:7
7 My brother has called upon the words of Zenos, that redemption
cometh through the Son of God, and also upon the words of Zenock;
and also he has appealed unto Moses, to prove that these things
are true.
Alma 34:8
8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these
things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that
Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the
transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the
sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
Alma 34:9
9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for
according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an
atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea,
all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must
perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient
should be made.
Alma 34:10
10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last
sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither
of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but
it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.
Alma 34:11
11 Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood
which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man
murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of
his brother? I say unto you, Nay.
Alma 34:12
12 But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered;
therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite
atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.
Alma 34:13
13 Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and
last sacrifice; and then shall there be, or it is expedient there
should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of
Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and
tittle, and none shall have passed away.
Alma 34:14
14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit
pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and
last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.
Alma 34:15
15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall
believe on his name; this being the intent of this last
sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth
justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have
faith unto repentance.
Alma 34:16
16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and
encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no
faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands
of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto
repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of
redemption.
Alma 34:17
17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may
begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to
call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;
Alma 34:18
18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.
Alma 34:19
19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.
Alma 34:20
20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your
flocks.
Alma 34:21
21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household,
both morning, mid-day, and evening.
Alma 34:22
22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.
Alma 34:23
23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all
righteousness.
Alma 34:24
24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may
prosper in them.
Alma 34:25
25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.
Alma 34:26
26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your
closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
Alma 34:27
27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts
be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your
welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.
Alma 34:28
28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not
suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these
things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not
the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have,
to those who stand in need--I say unto you, if ye do not any of
these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you
nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.
Alma 34:29
29 Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as
dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and
is trodden under foot of men.
Alma 34:30
30 And now, my brethren, I would that, after ye have received so
many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testify of these
things, ye come forth and bring fruit unto repentance.
Alma 34:31
31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your
hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of
your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not
your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be
brought about unto you.
Alma 34:32
32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet
God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to
perform their labors.
Alma 34:33
33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many
witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not
procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after
this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity,
behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then
cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor
performed.
Alma 34:34
34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that
I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say
this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the
time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have
power to possess your body in that eternal world.
Alma 34:35
35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your
repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to
the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the
Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in
you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final
state of the wicked.
Alma 34:36
36 And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not
in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he
dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit
down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should
be made white through the blood of the Lamb.
Alma 34:37
37 And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should
remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation
with fear before God, and that ye should no more deny the coming
of Christ;
Alma 34:38
38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye
receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble
yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place
ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in
thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he
doth bestow upon you.
Alma 34:39
39 Yea, and I also exhort you, my brethren, that ye be watchful
unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the
temptations of the devil, that he may not overpower you, that ye
may not become his subjects at the last day; for behold, he
rewardeth you no good thing.
Alma 34:40
40 And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have
patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions; that
ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of
your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them;
Alma 34:41
41 But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions,
with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your
afflictions.
Alma 35
Chapter 35
Alma 35:1
1 Now it came to pass that after Amulek had made an end of these
words, they withdrew themselves from the multitude and came over
into the land of Jershon.
Alma 35:2
2 Yea, and the rest of the brethren, after they had preached the
word unto the Zoramites, also came over into the land of Jershon.
Alma 35:3
3 And it came to pass that after the more popular part of the
Zoramites had consulted together concerning the words which had
been preached unto them, they were angry because of the word, for
it did destroy their craft; therefore they would not hearken unto
the words.
Alma 35:4
4 And they sent and gathered together throughout all the land
all the people, and consulted with them concerning the words
which had been spoken.
Alma 35:5
5 Now their rulers and their priests and their teachers did not
let the people know concerning their desires; therefore they
found out privily the minds of all the people.
Alma 35:6
6 And it came to pass that after they had found out the minds of
all the people, those who were in favor of the words which had
been spoken by Alma and his brethren were cast out of the land;
and they were many; and they came over also into the land of
Jershon.
Alma 35:7
7 And it came to pass that Alma and his brethren did minister
unto them.
Alma 35:8
8 Now the people of the Zoramites were angry with the people of
Ammon who were in Jershon, and the chief ruler of the Zoramites,
being a very wicked man, sent over unto the people of Ammon
desiring them that they should cast out of their land all those
who came over from them into their land.
Alma 35:9
9 And he breathed out many threatenings against them. And now
the people of Ammon did not fear their words; therefore they did
not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the
Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did nourish them,
and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their
inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their
wants.
Alma 35:10
10 Now this did stir up the Zoramites to anger against the
people of Ammon, and they began to mix with the Lamanites and to
stir them up also to anger against them.
Alma 35:11
11 And thus the Zoramites and the Lamanites began to make
preparations for war against the people of Ammon, and also
against the Nephites.
Alma 35:12
12 And thus ended the seventeenth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 35:13
13 And the people of Ammon departed out of the land of Jershon,
and came over into the land of Melek, and gave place in the land
of Jershon for the armies of the Nephites, that they might
contend with the armies of the Lamanites and the armies of the
Zoramites; and thus commenced a war betwixt the Lamanites and the
Nephites, in the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges; and
an account shall be given of their wars hereafter.
Alma 35:14
14 And Alma, and Ammon, and their brethren, and also the two
sons of Alma returned to the land of Zarahemla, after having been
instruments in the hands of God of bringing many of the Zoramites
to repentance; and as many as were brought to repentance were
driven out of their land; but they have lands for their
inheritance in the land of Jershon, and they have taken up arms
to defend themselves, and their wives, and children, and their
lands.
Alma 35:15
15 Now Alma, being grieved for the iniquity of his people, yea
for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were
among them; and having been to declare the word, or sent to
declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing
that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they
began to be offended because of the strictness of the word, his
heart was exceedingly sorrowful.
Alma 35:16
16 Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered
together, that he might give unto them every one his charge,
separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness.
And we have an account of his commandments, which he gave unto
them according to his own record.
Alma 36
Chapter 36
Alma 36:1
1 My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that
inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall
prosper in the land.
Alma 36:2
2 I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the
captivity of our fathers; for they were in bondage, and none
could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in
their afflictions.
Alma 36:3
3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and
therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and
learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust
in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles,
and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.
Alma 36:4
4 And I would not that ye think that I know of myself--not of
the temporal but of the spiritual, not of the carnal mind but of
God.
Alma 36:5
5 Now, behold, I say unto you, if I had not been born of God I
should not have known these things; but God has, by the mouth of
his holy angel, made these things known unto me, not of any
worthiness of myself.
Alma 36:6
6 For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy
the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us
by the way.
Alma 36:7
7 And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder,
and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell
to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us.
Alma 36:8
8 But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise. And I arose and
stood up, and beheld the angel.
Alma 36:9
9 And he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed,
seek no more to destroy the church of God.
Alma 36:10
10 And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for
the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my
mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs.
Alma 36:11
11 And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by
my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the
words--If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to
destroy the church of God--I was struck with such great fear and
amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the
earth and I did hear no more.
Alma 36:12
12 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was
harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.
Alma 36:13
13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I
was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had
rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy
commandments.
Alma 36:14
14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led
them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my
iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of
my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.
Alma 36:15
15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct
both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the
presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.
Alma 36:16
16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked,
even with the pains of a damned soul.
Alma 36:17
17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment,
while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I
remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people
concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone
for the sins of the world.
Alma 36:18
18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within
my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in
the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting
chains of death.
Alma 36:19
19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my
pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no
more.
Alma 36:20
20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea,
my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!
Alma 36:21
21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so
exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say
unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so
exquisite and sweet as was my joy.
Alma 36:22
22 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God
sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of
angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea,
and my soul did long to be there.
Alma 36:23
23 But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I
stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had
been born of God.
Alma 36:24
24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored
without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I
might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did
taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with
the Holy Ghost.
Alma 36:25
25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me
exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;
Alma 36:26
26 For because of the word which he has imparted unto me,
behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have
tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they
do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and
the knowledge which I have is of God.
Alma 36:27
27 And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every
kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has
delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea,
and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me.
Alma 36:28
28 And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell
with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him forever, for he has
brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he has swallowed up the
Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power into the
promised land; yea, and he has delivered them out of bondage and
captivity from time to time.
Alma 36:29
29 Yea, and he has also brought our fathers out of the land of
Jerusalem; and he has also, by his everlasting power, delivered
them out of bondage and captivity, from time to time even down to
the present day; and I have always retained in remembrance their
captivity; yea, and ye also ought to retain in remembrance, as I
have done, their captivity.
Alma 36:30
30 But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to know as
I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God
ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that
inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be
cut off from his presence. Now this is according to his word.
Alma 37
Chapter 37
Alma 37:1
1 And now, my son Helaman, I command you that ye take the
records which have been entrusted with me;
Alma 37:2
2 And I also command you that ye keep a record of this people,
according as I have done, upon the plates of Nephi, and keep all
these things sacred which I have kept, even as I have kept them;
for it is for a wise purpose that they are kept.
Alma 37:3
3 And these plates of brass, which contain these engravings,
which have the records of the holy scriptures upon them, which
have the genealogy of our forefathers, even from the beginning--
Alma 37:4
4 Behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they
should be kept and handed down from one generation to another,
and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they
should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people,
that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon.
Alma 37:5
5 And now behold, if they are kept they must retain their
brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and
also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy
writ.
Alma 37:6
6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold
I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things
brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound
the wise.
Alma 37:7
7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great
and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth
confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.
Alma 37:8
8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things
should be preserved; for behold, they have enlarged the memory of
this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways,
and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation
of their souls.
Alma 37:9
9 Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these
records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his
brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the
Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these
records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is,
they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to
rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.
Alma 37:10
10 And who knoweth but what they will be the means of bringing
many thousands of them, yea, and also many thousands of our
stiffnecked brethren, the Nephites, who are now hardening their
hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer?
Alma 37:11
11 Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me;
therefore I shall forbear.
Alma 37:12
12 And it may suffice if I only say they are preserved for a
wise purpose, which purpose is known unto God; for he doth
counsel in wisdom over all his works, and his paths are straight,
and his course is one eternal round.
Alma 37:13
13 O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the
commandments of God. And he said: If ye will keep my
commandments ye shall prosper in the land--but if ye keep not his
commandments ye shall be cut off from his presence.
Alma 37:14
14 And now remember, my son, that God has entrusted you with
these things, which are sacred, which he has kept sacred, and
also which he will keep and preserve for a wise purpose in him,
that he may show forth his power unto future generations.
Alma 37:15
15 And now behold, I tell you by the spirit of prophecy, that if
ye transgress the commandments of God, behold, these things which
are sacred shall be taken away from you by the power of God, and
ye shall be delivered up unto Satan, that he may sift you as
chaff before the wind.
Alma 37:16
16 But if ye keep the commandments of God, and do with these
things which are sacred according to that which the Lord doth
command you, (for you must appeal unto the Lord for all things
whatsoever ye must do with them) behold, no power of earth or
hell can take them from you, for God is powerful to the
fulfilling of all his words.
Alma 37:17
17 For he will fulfil all his promises which he shall make unto
you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our
fathers.
Alma 37:18
18 For he promised unto them that he would preserve these things
for a wise purpose in him, that he might show forth his power
unto future generations.
Alma 37:19
19 And now behold, one purpose hath he fulfilled, even to the
restoration of many thousands of the Lamanites to the knowledge
of the truth; and he hath shown forth his power in them, and he
will also still show forth his power in them unto future
generations; therefore they shall be preserved.
Alma 37:20
20 Therefore I command you, my son Helaman, that ye be diligent
in fulfilling all my words, and that ye be diligent in keeping
the commandments of God as they are written.
Alma 37:21
21 And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four
plates, that ye keep them, that the mysteries and the works of
darkness, and their secret works, or the secret works of those
people who have been destroyed, may be made manifest unto this
people; yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their
plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations, may be
made manifest unto this people; yea, and that ye preserve these
interpreters.
Alma 37:22
22 For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in
darkness, yea, work secret murders and abominations; therefore
the Lord said, if they did not repent they should be destroyed
from off the face of the earth.
Alma 37:23
23 And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a
stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may
discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto
them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their
works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.
Alma 37:24
24 And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the
word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:
Alma 37:25
25 I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their
secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I
will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will
bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every
nation that shall hereafter possess the land.
Alma 37:26
26 And now, my son, we see that they did not repent; therefore
they have been destroyed, and thus far the word of God has been
fulfilled; yea, their secret abominations have been brought out
of darkness and made known unto us.
Alma 37:27
27 And now, my son, I command you that ye retain all their
oaths, and their covenants, and their agreements in their secret
abominations; yea, and all their signs and their wonders ye shall
keep from this people, that they know them not, lest peradventure
they should fall into darkness also and be destroyed.
Alma 37:28
28 For behold, there is a curse upon all this land, that
destruction shall come upon all those workers of darkness,
according to the power of God, when they are fully ripe;
therefore I desire that this people might not be destroyed.
Alma 37:29
29 Therefore ye shall keep these secret plans of their oaths and
their covenants from this people, and only their wickedness and
their murders and their abominations shall ye make known unto
them; and ye shall teach them to abhor such wickedness and
abominations and murders; and ye shall also teach them that these
people were destroyed on account of their wickedness and
abominations and their murders.
Alma 37:30
30 For behold, they murdered all the prophets of the Lord who
came among them to declare unto them concerning their iniquities;
and the blood of those whom they murdered did cry unto the Lord
their God for vengeance upon those who were their murderers; and
thus the judgments of God did come upon these workers of darkness
and secret combinations.
Alma 37:31
31 Yea, and cursed be the land forever and ever unto those
workers of darkness and secret combinations, even unto
destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe.
Alma 37:32
32 And now, my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto
you; trust not those secret plans unto this people, but teach
them an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity.
Alma 37:33
33 Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus
Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly
in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil,
with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Alma 37:34
34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek
and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.
Alma 37:35
35 O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea,
learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.
Alma 37:36
36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy
doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be
in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord;
yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord
forever.
Alma 37:37
37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct
thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto
the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou
risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God;
and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
Alma 37:38
38 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing
which our fathers call a ball, or director--or our fathers called
it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord
prepared it.
Alma 37:39
39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so
curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto
our fathers the course which they should travel in the
wilderness.
Alma 37:40
40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God;
therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that
those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it
was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other
miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.
Alma 37:41
41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small
means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful,
and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those
marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their
journey;
Alma 37:42
42 Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel
a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst,
because of their transgressions.
Alma 37:43
43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these
things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful
to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal)
they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are
spiritual.
Alma 37:44
44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ,
which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it
was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would
point unto them a straight course to the promised land.
Alma 37:45
45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just
as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following
its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if
we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into
a far better land of promise.
Alma 37:46
46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness
of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it
prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even
so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we
may live forever.
Alma 37:47
47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred
things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this
people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.
Alma 38
Chapter 38
Alma 38:1
1 My son, give ear to my words, for I say unto you, even as I
said unto Helaman, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the
commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as
ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from
his presence.
Alma 38:2
2 And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you,
because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as
you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God,
even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his
commandments; for blessed is he that endureth to the end.
Alma 38:3
3 I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee
already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy
patience and thy long-suffering among the people of the
Zoramites.
Alma 38:4
4 For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that
thou wast stoned for the word's sake; and thou didst bear all
these things with patience because the Lord was with thee; and
now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.
Alma 38:5
5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that
as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall
be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your
afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
Alma 38:6
6 Now, my son, I would not that ye should think that I know
these things of myself, but it is the Spirit of God which is in
me which maketh these things known unto me; for if I had not been
born of God I should not have known these things.
Alma 38:7
7 But behold, the Lord in his great mercy sent his angel to
declare unto me that I must stop the work of destruction among
his people; yea, and I have seen an angel face to face, and he
spake with me, and his voice was as thunder, and it shook the
whole earth.
Alma 38:8
8 And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in
the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did
cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a
remission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did
find peace to my soul.
Alma 38:9
9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn
wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or
means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ.
Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is
the word of truth and righteousness.
Alma 38:10
10 And now, as ye have begun to teach the word even so I would
that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be
diligent and temperate in all things.
Alma 38:11
11 See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do
not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength.
Alma 38:12
12 Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye
bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see
that ye refrain from idleness.
Alma 38:13
13 Do not pray as the Zoramites do, for ye have seen that they
pray to be heard of men, and to be praised for their wisdom.
Alma 38:14
14 Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our
brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and
remember my brethren in mercy--yea, acknowledge your unworthiness
before God at all times.
Alma 38:15
15 And may the Lord bless your soul, and receive you at the last
day into his kingdom, to sit down in peace. Now go, my son, and
teach the word unto this people. Be sober. My son, farewell.
Alma 39
Chapter 39
Alma 39:1
1 And now, my son, I have somewhat more to say unto thee than
what I said unto thy brother; for behold, have ye not observed
the steadiness of thy brother, his faithfulness, and his
diligence in keeping the commandments of God? Behold, has he not
set a good example for thee?
Alma 39:2
2 For thou didst not give so much heed unto my words as did thy
brother, among the people of the Zoramites. Now this is what I
have against thee; thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength
and thy wisdom.
Alma 39:3
3 And this is not all, my son. Thou didst do that which was
grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go
over into the land of Siron, among the borders of the Lamanites,
after the harlot Isabel.
Alma 39:4
4 Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no
excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the
ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted.
Alma 39:5
5 Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in
the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save
it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?
Alma 39:6
6 For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had
place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin
which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the
light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain
forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for
him to obtain a forgiveness.
Alma 39:7
7 And now, my son, I would to God that ye had not been guilty of
so great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow
up your soul, if it were not for your good.
Alma 39:8
8 But behold, ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye
repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last
day.
Alma 39:9
9 Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your
sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross
yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in
nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it
upon you, and cross yourself in these things.
Alma 39:10
10 And I command you to take it upon you to counsel with your
elder brothers in your undertakings; for behold, thou art in thy
youth, and ye stand in need to be nourished by your brothers.
And give heed to their counsel.
Alma 39:11
11 Suffer not yourself to be led away by any vain or foolish
thing; suffer not the devil to lead away your heart again after
those wicked harlots. Behold, O my son, how great iniquity ye
brought upon the Zoramites; for when they saw your conduct they
would not believe in my words.
Alma 39:12
12 And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me: Command thy
children to do good, lest they lead away the hearts of many
people to destruction; therefore I command you, my son, in the
fear of God, that ye refrain from your iniquities;
Alma 39:13
13 That ye turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and
strength; that ye lead away the hearts of no more to do wickedly;
but rather return unto them, and acknowledge your faults and that
wrong which ye have done.
Alma 39:14
14 Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for
behold, you cannot carry them with you.
Alma 39:15
15 And now, my son, I would say somewhat unto you concerning the
coming of Christ. Behold, I say unto you, that it is he that
surely shall come to take away the sins of the world; yea, he
cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation unto his people.
Alma 39:16
16 And now, my son, this was the ministry unto which ye were
called, to declare these glad tidings unto this people to prepare
their minds; or rather that salvation might come unto them, that
they may prepare the minds of their children to hear the word at
the time of his coming.
Alma 39:17
17 And now I will ease your mind somewhat on this subject.
Behold, you marvel why these things should be known so long
beforehand. Behold, I say unto you, is not a soul at this time
as precious unto God as a soul will be at the time of his coming?
Alma 39:18
18 Is it not as necessary that the plan of redemption should be
made known unto this people as well as unto their children?
Alma 39:19
19 Is it not as easy at this time for the Lord to send his angel
to declare these glad tidings unto us as unto our children, or as
after the time of his coming?
Alma 40
Chapter 40
Alma 40:1
1 Now my son, here is somewhat more I would say unto thee; for I
perceive that thy mind is worried concerning the resurrection of
the dead.
Alma 40:2
2 Behold, I say unto you, that there is no resurrection--or, I
would say, in other words, that this mortal does not put on
immortality, this corruption does not put on incorruption--until
after the coming of Christ.
Alma 40:3
3 Behold, he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead. But
behold, my son, the resurrection is not yet. Now, I unfold unto
you a mystery; nevertheless, there are many mysteries which are
kept, that no one knoweth them save God himself. But I show unto
you one thing which I have inquired diligently of God that I
might know--that is concerning the resurrection.
Alma 40:4
4 Behold, there is a time appointed that all shall come forth
from the dead. Now when this time cometh no one knows; but God
knoweth the time which is appointed.
Alma 40:5
5 Now, whether there shall be one time, or a second time, or a
third time, that men shall come forth from the dead, it mattereth
not; for God knoweth all these things; and it sufficeth me to
know that this is the case--that there is a time appointed that
all shall rise from the dead.
Alma 40:6
6 Now there must needs be a space betwixt the time of death and
the time of the resurrection.
Alma 40:7
7 And now I would inquire what becometh of the souls of men from
this time of death to the time appointed for the resurrection?
Alma 40:8
8 Now whether there is more than one time appointed for men to
rise it mattereth not; for all do not die at once, and this
mattereth not; all is as one day with God, and time only is
measured unto men.
Alma 40:9
9 Therefore, there is a time appointed unto men that they shall
rise from the dead; and there is a space between the time of
death and the resurrection. And now, concerning this space of
time, what becometh of the souls of men is the thing which I have
inquired diligently of the Lord to know; and this is the thing of
which I do know.
Alma 40:10
10 And when the time cometh when all shall rise, then shall they
know that God knoweth all the times which are appointed unto man.
Alma 40:11
11 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the
resurrection--Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel,
that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from
this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be
good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.
Alma 40:12
12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who
are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is
called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they
shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
Alma 40:13
13 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the
wicked, yea, who are evil--for behold, they have no part nor
portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil
works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did
enter into them, and take possession of their house--and these
shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping,
and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own
iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.
Alma 40:14
14 Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in
darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery
indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in
this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time
of their resurrection.
Alma 40:15
15 Now, there are some that have understood that this state of
happiness and this state of misery of the soul, before the
resurrection, was a first resurrection. Yea, I admit it may be
termed a resurrection, the raising of the spirit or the soul and
their consignation to happiness or misery, according to the words
which have been spoken.
Alma 40:16
16 And behold, again it hath been spoken, that there is a first
resurrection, a resurrection of all those who have been, or who
are, or who shall be, down to the resurrection of Christ from the
dead.
Alma 40:17
17 Now, we do not suppose that this first resurrection, which is
spoken of in this manner, can be the resurrection of the souls
and their consignation to happiness or misery. Ye cannot suppose
that this is what it meaneth.
Alma 40:18
18 Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but it meaneth the reuniting of
the soul with the body, of those from the days of Adam down to
the resurrection of Christ.
Alma 40:19
19 Now, whether the souls and the bodies of those of whom has
been spoken shall all be reunited at once, the wicked as well as
the righteous, I do not say; let it suffice; that I say that they
all come forth; or in other words, their resurrection cometh to
pass before the resurrection of those who die after the
resurrection of Christ.
Alma 40:20
20 Now, my son, I do not say that their resurrection cometh at
the resurrection of Christ; but behold, I give it as my opinion,
that the souls and the bodies are reunited, of the righteous, at
the resurrection of Christ, and his ascension into heaven.
Alma 40:21
21 But whether it be at his resurrection or after, I do not say;
but this much I say, that there is a space between death and the
resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or
in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead
shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be
brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their
works.
Alma 40:22
22 Yea, this bringeth about the restoration of those things of
which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets.
Alma 40:23
23 The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the
soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its
body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all
things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.
Alma 40:24
24 And now, my son, this is the restoration of which has been
spoken by the mouths of the prophets--
Alma 40:25
25 And then shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of
God.
Alma 40:26
26 But behold, an awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they
die as to things pertaining to things of righteousness; for they
are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God;
but they are cast out, and consigned to partake of the fruits of
their labors or their works, which have been evil; and they drink
the dregs of a bitter cup.
Alma 41
Chapter 41
Alma 41:1
1 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the
restoration of which has been spoken; for behold, some have
wrested the scriptures, and have gone far astray because of this
thing. And I perceive that thy mind has been worried also
concerning this thing. But behold, I will explain it unto thee.
Alma 41:2
2 I say unto thee, my son, that the plan of restoration is
requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all
things should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is
requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of
Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and
that every part of the body should be restored to itself.
Alma 41:3
3 And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be
judged according to their works; and if their works were good in
this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they
should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is
good.
Alma 41:4
4 And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them
for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their
proper order, every thing to its natural frame--mortality raised
to immortality, corruption to incorruption--raised to endless
happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to
inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other
on the other--
Alma 41:5
5 The one raised to happiness according to his desires of
happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the
other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has
desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his
reward of evil when the night cometh.
Alma 41:6
6 And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his
sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even
so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness.
Alma 41:7
7 These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are
they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless
night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they
are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil.
Alma 41:8
8 Now, the decrees of God are unalterable; therefore, the way is
prepared that whosoever will may walk therein and be saved.
Alma 41:9
9 And now behold, my son, do not risk one more offense against
your God upon those points of doctrine, which ye have hitherto
risked to commit sin.
Alma 41:10
10 Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning
restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness.
Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.
Alma 41:11
11 And now, my son, all men that are in a state of nature, or I
would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and
in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and
they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are
in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.
Alma 41:12
12 And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to
take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural
state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature?
Alma 41:13
13 O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word
restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for
carnal, or devilish for devilish--good for that which is good;
righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is
just; merciful for that which is merciful.
Alma 41:14
14 Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your
brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good
continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive
your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye
shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a
righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have
good rewarded unto you again.
Alma 41:15
15 For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again,
and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully
condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all.
Alma 42
Chapter 42
Alma 42:1
1 And now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth
worry your mind, which ye cannot understand--which is concerning
the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner; for ye do try
to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should be
consigned to a state of misery.
Alma 42:2
2 Now behold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee. For
behold, after the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the
garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence they were
taken--yea, he drew out the man, and he placed at the east end of
the garden of Eden, cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned
every way, to keep the tree of life--
Alma 42:3
3 Now, we see that the man had become as God, knowing good and
evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and take also of the
tree of life, and eat and live forever, the Lord God placed
cherubim and the flaming sword, that he should not partake of the
fruit--
Alma 42:4
4 And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to
repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God.
Alma 42:5
5 For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and
partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever,
according to the word of God, having no space for repentance;
yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great
plan of salvation would have been frustrated.
Alma 42:6
6 But behold, it was appointed unto man to die--therefore, as
they were cut off from the tree of life they should be cut off
from the face of the earth--and man became lost forever, yea,
they became fallen man.
Alma 42:7
7 And now, ye see by this that our first parents were cut off
both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord;
and thus we see they became subjects to follow after their own
will.
Alma 42:8
8 Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed
from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan
of happiness.
Alma 42:9
9 Therefore, as the soul could never die, and the fall had
brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as well as a temporal,
that is, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord, it was
expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual
death.
Alma 42:10
10 Therefore, as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish,
by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to
prepare; it became a preparatory state.
Alma 42:11
11 And now remember, my son, if it were not for the plan of
redemption, (laying it aside) as soon as they were dead their
souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the
Lord.
Alma 42:12
12 And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen
state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own
disobedience;
Alma 42:13
13 Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could
not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in
this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except
it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except
it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice
could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God.
Alma 42:14
14 And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were
in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned
them forever to be cut off from his presence.
Alma 42:15
15 And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except
an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for
the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to
appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just
God, and a merciful God also.
Alma 42:16
16 Now, repentance could not come unto men except there were a
punishment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul should
be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as
eternal also as the life of the soul.
Alma 42:17
17 Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could
he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there
was a punishment?
Alma 42:18
18 Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given,
which brought remorse of conscience unto man.
Alma 42:19
19 Now, if there was no law given--if a man murdered he should
die--would he be afraid he would die if he should murder?
Alma 42:20
20 And also, if there was no law given against sin men would not
be afraid to sin.
Alma 42:21
21 And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could
justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon
the creature?
Alma 42:22
22 But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a
repentance granted; which repentance mercy claimeth; otherwise,
justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law
inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would
be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.
Alma 42:23
23 But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the
penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the
atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the
resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of
God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged
according to their works, according to the law and justice.
Alma 42:24
24 For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also
mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly
penitent are saved.
Alma 42:25
25 What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto
you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God.
Alma 42:26
26 And thus God bringeth about his great and eternal purposes,
which were prepared from the foundation of the world. And thus
cometh about the salvation and the redemption of men, and also
their destruction and misery.
Alma 42:27
27 Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake
of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the
same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be
restored unto him according to his deeds.
Alma 42:28
28 If he has desired to do evil, and has not repented in his
days, behold, evil shall be done unto him, according to the
restoration of God.
Alma 42:29
29 And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things
trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with
that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance.
Alma 42:30
30 O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no
more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point
because of your sins, by denying the justice of God; but do you
let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering
have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the
dust in humility.
Alma 42:31
31 And now, O my son, ye are called of God to preach the word
unto this people. And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word
with truth and soberness, that thou mayest bring souls unto
repentance, that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon
them. And may God grant unto you even according to my words.
Amen.
Alma 43
Chapter 43
Alma 43:1
1 And now it came to pass that the sons of Alma did go forth
among the people, to declare the word unto them. And Alma, also,
himself, could not rest, and he also went forth.
Alma 43:2
2 Now we shall say no more concerning their preaching, except
that they preached the word, and the truth, according to the
spirit of prophecy and revelation; and they preached after the
holy order of God by which they were called.
Alma 43:3
3 And now I return to an account of the wars between the
Nephites and the Lamanites, in the eighteenth year of the reign
of the judges.
Alma 43:4
4 For behold, it came to pass that the Zoramites became
Lamanites; therefore, in the commencement of the eighteenth year
the people of the Nephites saw that the Lamanites were coming
upon them; therefore they made preparations for war; yea, they
gathered together their armies in the land of Jershon.
Alma 43:5
5 And it came to pass that the Lamanites came with their
thousands; and they came into the land of Antionum, which is the
land of the Zoramites; and a man by the name of Zerahemnah was
their leader.
Alma 43:6
6 And now, as the Amalekites were of a more wicked and murderous
disposition than the Lamanites were, in and of themselves,
therefore, Zerahemnah appointed chief captains over the
Lamanites, and they were all Amalekites and Zoramites.
Alma 43:7
7 Now this he did that he might preserve their hatred towards
the Nephites, that he might bring them into subjection to the
accomplishment of his designs.
Alma 43:8
8 For behold, his designs were to stir up the Lamanites to anger
against the Nephites; this he did that he might usurp great power
over them, and also that he might gain power over the Nephites by
bringing them into bondage.
Alma 43:9
9 And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands,
and their houses, and their wives, and their children, that they
might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also
that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea,
and also their liberty, that they might worship God according to
their desires.
Alma 43:10
10 For they knew that if they should fall into the hands of the
Lamanites, that whosoever should worship God in spirit and in
truth, the true and the living God, the Lamanites would destroy.
Alma 43:11
11 Yea, and they also knew the extreme hatred of the Lamanites
towards their brethren, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi,
who were called the people of Ammon--and they would not take up
arms, yea, they had entered into a covenant and they would not
break it--therefore, if they should fall into the hands of the
Lamanites they would be destroyed.
Alma 43:12
12 And the Nephites would not suffer that they should be
destroyed; therefore they gave them lands for their inheritance.
Alma 43:13
13 And the people of Ammon did give unto the Nephites a large
portion of their substance to support their armies; and thus the
Nephites were compelled, alone, to withstand against the
Lamanites, who were a compound of Laman and Lemuel, and the sons
of Ishmael, and all those who had dissented from the Nephites,
who were Amalekites and Zoramites, and the descendants of the
priests of Noah.
Alma 43:14
14 Now those descendants were as numerous, nearly, as were the
Nephites; and thus the Nephites were obliged to contend with
their brethren, even unto bloodshed.
Alma 43:15
15 And it came to pass as the armies of the Lamanites had
gathered together in the land of Antionum, behold, the armies of
the Nephites were prepared to meet them in the land of Jershon.
Alma 43:16
16 Now, the leader of the Nephites, or the man who had been
appointed to be the chief captain over the Nephites--now the
chief captain took the command of all the armies of the
Nephites--and his name was Moroni;
Alma 43:17
17 And Moroni took all the command, and the government of their
wars. And he was only twenty and five years old when he was
appointed chief captain over the armies of the Nephites.
Alma 43:18
18 And it came to pass that he met the Lamanites in the borders
of Jershon, and his people were armed with swords, and with
cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war.
Alma 43:19
19 And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the people of
Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates
and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their
heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing--
Alma 43:20
20 Now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such
thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows
and their arrows, their stones and their slings; and they were
naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins;
yea, all were naked, save it were the Zoramites and the
Amalekites;
Alma 43:21
21 But they were not armed with breastplates, nor
shields--therefore, they were exceedingly afraid of the armies of
the Nephites because of their armor, notwithstanding their number
being so much greater than the Nephites.
Alma 43:22
22 Behold, now it came to pass that they durst not come against
the Nephites in the borders of Jershon; therefore they departed
out of the land of Antionum into the wilderness, and took their
journey round about in the wilderness, away by the head of the
river Sidon, that they might come into the land of Manti and take
possession of the land; for they did not suppose that the armies
of Moroni would know whither they had gone.
Alma 43:23
23 But it came to pass, as soon as they had departed into the
wilderness Moroni sent spies into the wilderness to watch their
camp; and Moroni, also, knowing of the prophecies of Alma, sent
certain men unto him, desiring him that he should inquire of the
Lord whither the armies of the Nephites should go to defend
themselves against the Lamanites.
Alma 43:24
24 And it came to pass that the word of the Lord came unto Alma,
and Alma informed the messengers of Moroni, that the armies of
the Lamanites were marching round about in the wilderness, that
they might come over into the land of Manti, that they might
commence an attack upon the weaker part of the people. And those
messengers went and delivered the message unto Moroni.
Alma 43:25
25 Now Moroni, leaving a part of his army in the land of
Jershon, lest by any means a part of the Lamanites should come
into that land and take possession of the city, took the
remaining part of his army and marched over into the land of
Manti.
Alma 43:26
26 And he caused that all the people in that quarter of the land
should gather themselves together to battle against the
Lamanites, to defend their lands and their country, their rights
and their liberties; therefore they were prepared against the
time of the coming of the Lamanites.
Alma 43:27
27 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his army should
be secreted in the valley which was near the bank of the river
Sidon, which was on the west of the river Sidon in the
wilderness.
Alma 43:28
28 And Moroni placed spies round about, that he might know when
the camp of the Lamanites should come.
Alma 43:29
29 And now, as Moroni knew the intention of the Lamanites, that
it was their intention to destroy their brethren, or to subject
them and bring them into bondage that they might establish a
kingdom unto themselves over all the land;
Alma 43:30
30 And he also knowing that it was the only desire of the
Nephites to preserve their lands, and their liberty, and their
church, therefore he thought it no sin that he should defend them
by stratagem; therefore, he found by his spies which course the
Lamanites were to take.
Alma 43:31
31 Therefore, he divided his army and brought a part over into
the valley, and concealed them on the east, and on the south of
the hill Riplah;
Alma 43:32
32 And the remainder he concealed in the west valley, on the
west of the river Sidon, and so down into the borders of the land
Manti.
Alma 43:33
33 And thus having placed his army according to his desire, he
was prepared to meet them.
Alma 43:34
34 And it came to pass that the Lamanites came up on the north
of the hill, where a part of the army of Moroni was concealed.
Alma 43:35
35 And as the Lamanites had passed the hill Riplah, and came
into the valley, and began to cross the river Sidon, the army
which was concealed on the south of the hill, which was led by a
man whose name was Lehi, and he led his army forth and encircled
the Lamanites about on the east in their rear.
Alma 43:36
36 And it came to pass that the Lamanites, when they saw the
Nephites coming upon them in their rear, turned them about and
began to contend with the army of Lehi.
Alma 43:37
37 And the work of death commenced on both sides, but it was
more dreadful on the part of the Lamanites, for their nakedness
was exposed to the heavy blows of the Nephites with their swords
and their cimeters, which brought death almost at every stroke.
Alma 43:38
38 While on the other hand, there was now and then a man fell
among the Nephites, by their swords and the loss of blood, they
being shielded from the more vital parts of the body, or the more
vital parts of the body being shielded from the strokes of the
Lamanites, by their breastplates, and their arm-shields, and
their head-plates; and thus the Nephites did carry on the work of
death among the Lamanites.
Alma 43:39
39 And it came to pass that the Lamanites became frightened,
because of the great destruction among them, even until they
began to flee towards the river Sidon.
Alma 43:40
40 And they were pursued by Lehi and his men; and they were
driven by Lehi into the waters of Sidon, and they crossed the
waters of Sidon. And Lehi retained his armies upon the bank of
the river Sidon that they should not cross.
Alma 43:41
41 And it came to pass that Moroni and his army met the
Lamanites in the valley, on the other side of the river Sidon,
and began to fall upon them and to slay them.
Alma 43:42
42 And the Lamanites did flee again before them, towards the
land of Manti; and they were met again by the armies of Moroni.
Alma 43:43
43 Now in this case the Lamanites did fight exceedingly; yea,
never had the Lamanites been known to fight with such exceedingly
great strength and courage, no, not even from the beginning.
Alma 43:44
44 And they were inspired by the Zoramites and the Amalekites,
who were their chief captains and leaders, and by Zerahemnah, who
was their chief captain, or their chief leader and commander;
yea, they did fight like dragons, and many of the Nephites were
slain by their hands, yea, for they did smite in two many of
their head-plates, and they did pierce many of their
breastplates, and they did smite off many of their arms; and thus
the Lamanites did smite in their fierce anger.
Alma 43:45
45 Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause,
for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were
fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and
their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship
and their church.
Alma 43:46
46 And they were doing that which they felt was the duty which
they owed to their God; for the Lord had said unto them, and also
unto their fathers, that: Inasmuch as ye are not guilty of the
first offense, neither the second, ye shall not suffer yourselves
to be slain by the hands of your enemies.
Alma 43:47
47 And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your
families even unto bloodshed. Therefore for this cause were the
Nephites contending with the Lamanites, to defend themselves, and
their families, and their lands, their country, and their rights,
and their religion.
Alma 43:48
48 And it came to pass that when the men of Moroni saw the
fierceness and the anger of the Lamanites, they were about to
shrink and flee from them. And Moroni, perceiving their intent,
sent forth and inspired their hearts with these thoughts--yea,
the thoughts of their lands, their liberty, yea, their freedom
from bondage.
Alma 43:49
49 And it came to pass that they turned upon the Lamanites, and
they cried with one voice unto the Lord their God, for their
liberty and their freedom from bondage.
Alma 43:50
50 And they began to stand against the Lamanites with power; and
in that selfsame hour that they cried unto the Lord for their
freedom, the Lamanites began to flee before them; and they fled
even to the waters of Sidon.
Alma 43:51
51 Now, the Lamanites were more numerous, yea, by more than
double the number of the Nephites; nevertheless, they were driven
insomuch that they were gathered together in one body in the
valley, upon the bank by the river Sidon.
Alma 43:52
52 Therefore the armies of Moroni encircled them about, yea,
even on both sides of the river, for behold, on the east were the
men of Lehi.
Alma 43:53
53 Therefore when Zerahemnah saw the men of Lehi on the east of
the river Sidon, and the armies of Moroni on the west of the
river Sidon, that they were encircled about by the Nephites, they
were struck with terror.
Alma 43:54
54 Now Moroni, when he saw their terror, commanded his men that
they should stop shedding their blood.
Alma 44
Chapter 44
Alma 44:1
1 And it came to pass that they did stop and withdrew a pace
from them. And Moroni said unto Zerahemnah: Behold, Zerahemnah,
that we do not desire to be men of blood. Ye know that ye are in
our hands, yet we do not desire to slay you.
Alma 44:2
2 Behold, we have not come out to battle against you that we
might shed your blood for power; neither do we desire to bring
any one to the yoke of bondage. But this is the very cause for
which ye have come against us; yea, and ye are angry with us
because of our religion.
Alma 44:3
3 But now, ye behold that the Lord is with us; and ye behold
that he has delivered you into our hands. And now I would that
ye should understand that this is done unto us because of our
religion and our faith in Christ. And now ye see that ye cannot
destroy this our faith.
Alma 44:4
4 Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see
that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we
are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and
never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we
should fall into transgression and deny our faith.
Alma 44:5
5 And now, Zerahemnah, I command you, in the name of that
all-powerful God, who has strengthened our arms that we have
gained power over you, by our faith, by our religion, and by our
rites of worship, and by our church, and by the sacred support
which we owe to our wives and our children, by that liberty which
binds us to our lands and our country; yea, and also by the
maintenance of the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our
happiness; and by all that is most dear unto us--
Alma 44:6
6 Yea, and this is not all; I command you by all the desires
which ye have for life, that ye deliver up your weapons of war
unto us, and we will seek not your blood, but we will spare your
lives, if ye will go your way and come not again to war against
us.
Alma 44:7
7 And now, if ye do not this, behold, ye are in our hands, and I
will command my men that they shall fall upon you, and inflict
the wounds of death in your bodies, that ye may become extinct;
and then we will see who shall have power over this people; yea,
we will see who shall be brought into bondage.
Alma 44:8
8 And now it came to pass that when Zerahemnah had heard these
sayings he came forth and delivered up his sword and his cimeter,
and his bow into the hands of Moroni, and said unto him: Behold,
here are our weapons of war; we will deliver them up unto you,
but we will not suffer ourselves to take an oath unto you, which
we know that we shall break, and also our children; but take our
weapons of war, and suffer that we may depart into the
wilderness; otherwise we will retain our swords, and we will
perish or conquer.
Alma 44:9
9 Behold, we are not of your faith; we do not believe that it is
God that has delivered us into your hands; but we believe that it
is your cunning that has preserved you from our swords. Behold,
it is your breastplates and your shields that have preserved you.
Alma 44:10
10 And now when Zerahemnah had made an end of speaking these
words, Moroni returned the sword and the weapons of war, which he
had received, unto Zerahemnah, saying: Behold, we will end the
conflict.
Alma 44:11
11 Now I cannot recall the words which I have spoken, therefore
as the Lord liveth, ye shall not depart except ye depart with an
oath that ye will not return again against us to war. Now as ye
are in our hands we will spill your blood upon the ground, or ye
shall submit to the conditions which I have proposed.
Alma 44:12
12 And now when Moroni had said these words, Zerahemnah retained
his sword, and he was angry with Moroni, and he rushed forward
that he might slay Moroni; but as he raised his sword, behold,
one of Moroni's soldiers smote it even to the earth, and it broke
by the hilt; and he also smote Zerahemnah that he took off his
scalp and it fell to the earth. And Zerahemnah withdrew from
before them into the midst of his soldiers.
Alma 44:13
13 And it came to pass that the soldier who stood by, who smote
off the scalp of Zerahemnah, took up the scalp from off the
ground by the hair, and laid it upon the point of his sword, and
stretched it forth unto them, saying unto them with a loud voice:
Alma 44:14
14 Even as this scalp has fallen to the earth, which is the
scalp of your chief, so shall ye fall to the earth except ye will
deliver up your weapons of war and depart with a covenant of
peace.
Alma 44:15
15 Now there were many, when they heard these words and saw the
scalp which was upon the sword, that were struck with fear; and
many came forth and threw down their weapons of war at the feet
of Moroni, and entered into a covenant of peace. And as many as
entered into a covenant they suffered to depart into the
wilderness.
Alma 44:16
16 Now it came to pass that Zerahemnah was exceedingly wroth,
and he did stir up the remainder of his soldiers to anger, to
contend more powerfully against the Nephites.
Alma 44:17
17 And now Moroni was angry, because of the stubbornness of the
Lamanites; therefore he commanded his people that they should
fall upon them and slay them. And it came to pass that they
began to slay them; yea, and the Lamanites did contend with their
swords and their might.
Alma 44:18
18 But behold, their naked skins and their bare heads were
exposed to the sharp swords of the Nephites; yea, behold they
were pierced and smitten, yea, and did fall exceedingly fast
before the swords of the Nephites; and they began to be swept
down, even as the soldier of Moroni had prophesied.
Alma 44:19
19 Now Zerahemnah, when he saw that they were all about to be
destroyed, cried mightily unto Moroni, promising that he would
covenant and also his people with them, if they would spare the
remainder of their lives, that they never would come to war again
against them.
Alma 44:20
20 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that the work of death
should cease again among the people. And he took the weapons of
war from the Lamanites; and after they had entered into a
covenant with him of peace they were suffered to depart into the
wilderness.
Alma 44:21
21 Now the number of their dead was not numbered because of the
greatness of the number; yea, the number of their dead was
exceedingly great, both on the Nephites and on the Lamanites.
Alma 44:22
22 And it came to pass that they did cast their dead into the
waters of Sidon, and they have gone forth and are buried in the
depths of the sea.
Alma 44:23
23 And the armies of the Nephites, or of Moroni, returned and
came to their houses and their lands.
Alma 44:24
24 And thus ended the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi. And thus ended the record of Alma,
which was written upon the plates of Nephi.
Alma 45
Chapter 45
Alma 45:1
1 Behold, now it came to pass that the people of Nephi were
exceedingly rejoiced, because the Lord had again delivered them
out of the hands of their enemies; therefore they gave thanks
unto the Lord their God; yea, and they did fast much and pray
much, and they did worship God with exceedingly great joy.
Alma 45:2
2 And it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma came unto his son
Helaman and said unto him: Believest thou the words which I spake
unto thee concerning those records which have been kept?
Alma 45:3
3 And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I believe.
Alma 45:4
4 And Alma said again: Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall
come?
Alma 45:5
5 And he said: Yea, I believe all the words which thou hast
spoken.
Alma 45:6
6 And Alma said unto him again: Will ye keep my commandments?
Alma 45:7
7 And he said: Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my
heart.
Alma 45:8
8 Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall
prosper thee in this land.
Alma 45:9
9 But behold, I have somewhat to prophesy unto thee; but what I
prophesy unto thee ye shall not make known; yea, what I prophesy
unto thee shall not be made known, even until the prophecy is
fulfilled; therefore write the words which I shall say.
Alma 45:10
10 And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very
people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which
is in me, in four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ
shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in unbelief.
Alma 45:11
11 Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea,
famines and bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall
become extinct--
Alma 45:12
12 Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall
into the works of darkness, and lasciviousness, and all manner of
iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin
against so great light and knowledge, yea, I say unto you, that
from that day, even the fourth generation shall not all pass away
before this great iniquity shall come.
Alma 45:13
13 And when that great day cometh, behold, the time very soon
cometh that those who are now, or the seed of those who are now
numbered among the people of Nephi, shall no more be numbered
among the people of Nephi.
Alma 45:14
14 But whosoever remaineth, and is not destroyed in that great
and dreadful day, shall be numbered among the Lamanites, and
shall become like unto them, all, save it be a few who shall be
called the disciples of the Lord; and them shall the Lamanites
pursue even until they shall become extinct. And now, because of
iniquity, this prophecy shall be fulfilled.
Alma 45:15
15 And now it came to pass that after Alma had said these things
to Helaman, he blessed him, and also his other sons; and he also
blessed the earth for the righteous' sake.
Alma 45:16
16 And he said: Thus saith the Lord God--Cursed shall be the
land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and
people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully
ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing
and the blessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look
upon sin with the least degree of allowance.
Alma 45:17
17 And now, when Alma had said these words he blessed the
church, yea, all those who should stand fast in the faith from
that time henceforth.
Alma 45:18
18 And when Alma had done this he departed out of the land of
Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of Melek. And it came to
pass that he was never heard of more; as to his death or burial
we know not of.
Alma 45:19
19 Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the
saying went abroad in the church that he was taken up by the
Spirit, or buried by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But
behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself;
and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the spirit, unto
himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his
death and burial.
Alma 45:20
20 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the nineteenth
year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that
Helaman went forth among the people to declare the word unto
them.
Alma 45:21
21 For behold, because of their wars with the Lamanites and the
many little dissensions and disturbances which had been among the
people, it became expedient that the word of God should be
declared among them, yea, and that a regulation should be made
throughout the church.
Alma 45:22
22 Therefore, Helaman and his brethren went forth to establish
the church again in all the land, yea, in every city throughout
all the land which was possessed by the people of Nephi. And it
came to pass that they did appoint priests and teachers
throughout all the land, over all the churches.
Alma 45:23
23 And now it came to pass that after Helaman and his brethren
had appointed priests and teachers over the churches that there
arose a dissension among them, and they would not give heed to
the words of Helaman and his brethren;
Alma 45:24
24 But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because
of their exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in
their own eyes, and would not give heed to their words, to walk
uprightly before God.
Alma 46
Chapter 46
Alma 46:1
1 And it came to pass that as many as would not hearken to the
words of Helaman and his brethren were gathered together against
their brethren.
Alma 46:2
2 And now behold, they were exceedingly wroth, insomuch that
they were determined to slay them.
Alma 46:3
3 Now the leader of those who were wroth against their brethren
was a large and a strong man; and his name was Amalickiah.
Alma 46:4
4 And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king; and those people who
were wroth were also desirous that he should be their king; and
they were the greater part of them the lower judges of the land,
and they were seeking for power.
Alma 46:5
5 And they had been led by the flatteries of Amalickiah, that if
they would support him and establish him to be their king that he
would make them rulers over the people.
Alma 46:6
6 Thus they were led away by Amalickiah to dissensions,
notwithstanding the preaching of Helaman and his brethren, yea,
notwithstanding their exceedingly great care over the church, for
they were high priests over the church.
Alma 46:7
7 And there were many in the church who believed in the
flattering words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even
from the church; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi
exceedingly precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great
victory which they had had over the Lamanites, and their great
rejoicings which they had had because of their deliverance by the
hand of the Lord.
Alma 46:8
8 Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord
their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by
the evil one.
Alma 46:9
9 Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man
can cause to take place among the children of men.
Alma 46:10
10 Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning
device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the
hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy
the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which
God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon
the face of the land for the righteous' sake.
Alma 46:11
11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief
commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these
dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.
Alma 46:12
12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a
piece thereof, and wrote upon it--In memory of our God, our
religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our
children--and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.
Alma 46:13
13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and
his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took
the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he
called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the
earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of
liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band
of Christians remain to possess the land--
Alma 46:14
14 For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged
to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the
church.
Alma 46:15
15 And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea,
all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them,
gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called,
because of their belief in Christ who should come.
Alma 46:16
16 And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of
the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.
Alma 46:17
17 And it came to pass that when he had poured out his soul to
God, he named all the land which was south of the land
Desolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the north and
on the south--A chosen land, and the land of liberty.
Alma 46:18
18 And he said: Surely God shall not suffer that we, who are
despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be
trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own
transgressions.
Alma 46:19
19 And when Moroni had said these words, he went forth among the
people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all
might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part,
and crying with a loud voice, saying:
Alma 46:20
20 Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let
them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a
covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their
religion, that the Lord God may bless them.
Alma 46:21
21 And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these
words, behold, the people came running together with their armor
girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as
a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or,
in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of
God, or fall into transgression, and be ashamed to take upon them
the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had
rent their garments.
Alma 46:22
22 Now this was the covenant which they made, and they cast
their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying: We covenant with
our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the
land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may
cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our
garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall
into transgression.
Alma 46:23
23 Moroni said unto them: Behold, we are a remnant of the seed
of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, whose coat
was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold,
let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments
shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be
sold, or be slain.
Alma 46:24
24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea,
let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold,
he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was
preserved and had not decayed. And he said--Even as this remnant
of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of
the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken
unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall
perish, even as the remnant of his garment.
Alma 46:25
25 Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul
hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall
be taken unto God.
Alma 46:26
26 Now behold, this was the language of Jacob.
Alma 46:27
27 And now who knoweth but what the remnant of the seed of
Joseph, which shall perish as his garment, are those who have
dissented from us? Yea, and even it shall be ourselves if we do
not stand fast in the faith of Christ.
Alma 46:28
28 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had said these words
he went forth, and also sent forth in all the parts of the land
where there were dissensions, and gathered together all the
people who were desirous to maintain their liberty, to stand
against Amalickiah and those who had dissented, who were called
Amalickiahites.
Alma 46:29
29 And it came to pass that when Amalickiah saw that the people
of Moroni were more numerous than the Amalickiahites--and he also
saw that his people were doubtful concerning the justice of the
cause in which they had undertaken--therefore, fearing that he
should not gain the point, he took those of his people who would
and departed into the land of Nephi.
Alma 46:30
30 Now Moroni thought it was not expedient that the Lamanites
should have any more strength; therefore he thought to cut off
the people of Amalickiah, or to take them and bring them back,
and put Amalickiah to death; yea, for he knew that he would stir
up the Lamanites to anger against them, and cause them to come to
battle against them; and this he knew that Amalickiah would do
that he might obtain his purposes.
Alma 46:31
31 Therefore Moroni thought it was expedient that he should take
his armies, who had gathered themselves together, and armed
themselves, and entered into a covenant to keep the peace--and it
came to pass that he took his army and marched out with his tents
into the wilderness, to cut off the course of Amalickiah in the
wilderness.
Alma 46:32
32 And it came to pass that he did according to his desires, and
marched forth into the wilderness, and headed the armies of
Amalickiah.
Alma 46:33
33 And it came to pass that Amalickiah fled with a small number
of his men, and the remainder were delivered up into the hands of
Moroni and were taken back into the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 46:34
34 Now, Moroni being a man who was appointed by the chief judges
and the voice of the people, therefore he had power according to
his will with the armies of the Nephites, to establish and to
exercise authority over them.
Alma 46:35
35 And it came to pass that whomsoever of the Amalickiahites
that would not enter into a covenant to support the cause of
freedom, that they might maintain a free government, he caused to
be put to death; and there were but few who denied the covenant
of freedom.
Alma 46:36
36 And it came to pass also, that he caused the title of liberty
to be hoisted upon every tower which was in all the land, which
was possessed by the Nephites; and thus Moroni planted the
standard of liberty among the Nephites.
Alma 46:37
37 And they began to have peace again in the land; and thus they
did maintain peace in the land until nearly the end of the
nineteenth year of the reign of the judges.
Alma 46:38
38 And Helaman and the high priests did also maintain order in
the church; yea, even for the space of four years did they have
much peace and rejoicing in the church.
Alma 46:39
39 And it came to pass that there were many who died, firmly
believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus
Christ; thus they went out of the world rejoicing.
Alma 46:40
40 And there were some who died with fevers, which at some
seasons of the year were very frequent in the land--but not so
much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the
many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause
of diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the
climate--
Alma 46:41
41 But there were many who died with old age; and those who died
in the faith of Christ are happy in him, as we must needs
suppose.
Alma 47
Chapter 47
Alma 47:1
1 Now we will return in our record to Amalickiah and those who
had fled with him into the wilderness; for, behold, he had taken
those who went with him, and went up in the land of Nephi among
the Lamanites, and did stir up the Lamanites to anger against the
people of Nephi, insomuch that the king of the Lamanites sent a
proclamation throughout all his land, among all his people, that
they should gather themselves together again to go to battle
against the Nephites.
Alma 47:2
2 And it came to pass that when the proclamation had gone forth
among them they were exceedingly afraid; yea, they feared to
displease the king, and they also feared to go to battle against
the Nephites lest they should lose their lives. And it came to
pass that they would not, or the more part of them would not,
obey the commandments of the king.
Alma 47:3
3 And now it came to pass that the king was wroth because of
their disobedience; therefore he gave Amalickiah the command of
that part of his army which was obedient unto his commands, and
commanded him that he should go forth and compel them to arms.
Alma 47:4
4 Now behold, this was the desire of Amalickiah; for he being a
very subtle man to do evil therefore he laid the plan in his
heart to dethrone the king of the Lamanites.
Alma 47:5
5 And now he had got the command of those parts of the Lamanites
who were in favor of the king; and he sought to gain favor of
those who were not obedient; therefore he went forward to the
place which was called Onidah, for thither had all the Lamanites
fled; for they discovered the army coming, and, supposing that
they were coming to destroy them, therefore they fled to Onidah,
to the place of arms.
Alma 47:6
6 And they had appointed a man to be a king and a leader over
them, being fixed in their minds with a determined resolution
that they would not be subjected to go against the Nephites.
Alma 47:7
7 And it came to pass that they had gathered themselves together
upon the top of the mount which was called Antipas, in
preparation to battle.
Alma 47:8
8 Now it was not Amalickiah's intention to give them battle
according to the commandments of the king; but behold, it was his
intention to gain favor with the armies of the Lamanites, that he
might place himself at their head and dethrone the king and take
possession of the kingdom.
Alma 47:9
9 And behold, it came to pass that he caused his army to pitch
their tents in the valley which was near the mount Antipas.
Alma 47:10
10 And it came to pass that when it was night he sent a secret
embassy into the mount Antipas, desiring that the leader of those
who were upon the mount, whose name was Lehonti, that he should
come down to the foot of the mount, for he desired to speak with
him.
Alma 47:11
11 And it came to pass that when Lehonti received the message he
durst not go down to the foot of the mount. And it came to pass
that Amalickiah sent again the second time, desiring him to come
down. And it came to pass that Lehonti would not; and he sent
again the third time.
Alma 47:12
12 And it came to pass that when Amalickiah found that he could
not get Lehonti to come down off from the mount, he went up into
the mount, nearly to Lehonti's camp; and he sent again the fourth
time his message unto Lehonti, desiring that he would come down,
and that he would bring his guards with him.
Alma 47:13
13 And it came to pass that when Lehonti had come down with his
guards to Amalickiah, that Amalickiah desired him to come down
with his army in the night-time, and surround those men in their
camps over whom the king had given him command, and that he would
deliver them up into Lehonti's hands, if he would make him
(Amalickiah) a second leader over the whole army.
Alma 47:14
14 And it came to pass that Lehonti came down with his men and
surrounded the men of Amalickiah, so that before they awoke at
the dawn of day they were surrounded by the armies of Lehonti.
Alma 47:15
15 And it came to pass that when they saw that they were
surrounded, they plead with Amalickiah that he would suffer them
to fall in with their brethren, that they might not be destroyed.
Now this was the very thing which Amalickiah desired.
Alma 47:16
16 And it came to pass that he delivered his men, contrary to
the commands of the king. Now this was the thing that Amalickiah
desired, that he might accomplish his designs in dethroning the
king.
Alma 47:17
17 Now it was the custom among the Lamanites, if their chief
leader was killed, to appoint the second leader to be their chief
leader.
Alma 47:18
18 And it came to pass that Amalickiah caused that one of his
servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti, that he
died.
Alma 47:19
19 Now, when Lehonti was dead, the Lamanites appointed
Amalickiah to be their leader and their chief commander.
Alma 47:20
20 And it came to pass that Amalickiah marched with his armies
(for he had gained his desires) to the land of Nephi, to the city
of Nephi, which was the chief city.
Alma 47:21
21 And the king came out to meet him with his guards, for he
supposed that Amalickiah had fulfilled his commands, and that
Amalickiah had gathered together so great an army to go against
the Nephites to battle.
Alma 47:22
22 But behold, as the king came out to meet him Amalickiah
caused that his servants should go forth to meet the king. And
they went and bowed themselves before the king, as if to
reverence him because of his greatness.
Alma 47:23
23 And it came to pass that the king put forth his hand to raise
them, as was the custom with the Lamanites, as a token of peace,
which custom they had taken from the Nephites.
Alma 47:24
24 And it came to pass that when he had raised the first from
the ground, behold he stabbed the king to the heart; and he fell
to the earth.
Alma 47:25
25 Now the servants of the king fled; and the servants of
Amalickiah raised a cry, saying:
Alma 47:26
26 Behold, the servants of the king have stabbed him to the
heart, and he has fallen and they have fled; behold, come and
see.
Alma 47:27
27 And it came to pass that Amalickiah commanded that his armies
should march forth and see what had happened to the king; and
when they had come to the spot, and found the king lying in his
gore, Amalickiah pretended to be wroth, and said: Whosoever loved
the king, let him go forth, and pursue his servants that they may
be slain.
Alma 47:28
28 And it came to pass that all they who loved the king, when
they heard these words, came forth and pursued after the servants
of the king.
Alma 47:29
29 Now when the servants of the king saw an army pursuing after
them, they were frightened again, and fled into the wilderness,
and came over into the land of Zarahemla and joined the people of
Ammon.
Alma 47:30
30 And the army which pursued after them returned, having
pursued after them in vain; and thus Amalickiah, by his fraud,
gained the hearts of the people.
Alma 47:31
31 And it came to pass on the morrow he entered the city Nephi
with his armies, and took possession of the city.
Alma 47:32
32 And now it came to pass that the queen, when she had heard
that the king was slain--for Amalickiah had sent an embassy to
the queen informing her that the king had been slain by his
servants, that he had pursued them with his army, but it was in
vain, and they had made their escape--
Alma 47:33
33 Therefore, when the queen had received this message she sent
unto Amalickiah, desiring him that he would spare the people of
the city; and she also desired him that he should come in unto
her; and she also desired him that he should bring witnesses with
him to testify concerning the death of the king.
Alma 47:34
34 And it came to pass that Amalickiah took the same servant
that slew the king, and all them who were with him, and went in
unto the queen, unto the place where she sat; and they all
testified unto her that the king was slain by his own servants;
and they said also: They have fled; does not this testify against
them? And thus they satisfied the queen concerning the death of
the king.
Alma 47:35
35 And it came to pass that Amalickiah sought the favor of the
queen, and took her unto him to wife; and thus by his fraud, and
by the assistance of his cunning servants, he obtained the
kingdom; yea, he was acknowledged king throughout all the land,
among all the people of the Lamanites, who were composed of the
Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites, and all the
dissenters of the Nephites, from the reign of Nephi down to the
present time.
Alma 47:36
36 Now these dissenters, having the same instruction and the
same information of the Nephites, yea, having been instructed in
the same knowledge of the Lord, nevertheless, it is strange to
relate, not long after their dissensions they became more
hardened and impenitent, and more wild, wicked and ferocious than
the Lamanites--drinking in with the traditions of the Lamanites;
giving way to indolence, and all manner of lasciviousness; yea,
entirely forgetting the Lord their God.
Alma 48
Chapter 48
Alma 48:1
1 And now it came to pass that, as soon as Amalickiah had
obtained the kingdom he began to inspire the hearts of the
Lamanites against the people of Nephi; yea, he did appoint men to
speak unto the Lamanites from their towers, against the Nephites.
Alma 48:2
2 And thus he did inspire their hearts against the Nephites,
insomuch that in the latter end of the nineteenth year of the
reign of the judges, he having accomplished his designs thus far,
yea, having been made king over the Lamanites, he sought also to
reign over all the land, yea, and all the people who were in the
land, the Nephites as well as the Lamanites.
Alma 48:3
3 Therefore he had accomplished his design, for he had hardened
the hearts of the Lamanites and blinded their minds, and stirred
them up to anger, insomuch that he had gathered together a
numerous host to go to battle against the Nephites.
Alma 48:4
4 For he was determined, because of the greatness of the number
of his people, to overpower the Nephites and to bring them into
bondage.
Alma 48:5
5 And thus he did appoint chief captains of the Zoramites, they
being the most acquainted with the strength of the Nephites, and
their places of resort, and the weakest parts of their cities;
therefore he appointed them to be chief captains over his armies.
Alma 48:6
6 And it came to pass that they took their camp, and moved forth
toward the land of Zarahemla in the wilderness.
Alma 48:7
7 Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been
obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand,
had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto
the Lord their God.
Alma 48:8
8 Yea, he had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and
erecting small forts, or places of resort; throwing up banks of
earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building walls
of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the
borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land.
Alma 48:9
9 And in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater
number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land
which was possessed by the Nephites.
Alma 48:10
10 And thus he was preparing to support their liberty, their
lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that
they might live unto the Lord their God, and that they might
maintain that which was called by their enemies the cause of
Christians.
Alma 48:11
11 And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a
perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in
bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the
freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and
slavery;
Alma 48:12
12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his
God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon
his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and
safety of his people.
Alma 48:13
13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ,
and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights,
and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.
Alma 48:14
14 Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against
their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were
necessary; yea, and they were also taught never to give an
offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against
an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives.
Alma 48:15
15 And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper
them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in
keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the
land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to
their danger;
Alma 48:16
16 And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they
should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so
doing, the Lord would deliver them; and this was the faith of
Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of
blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in
keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity.
Alma 48:17
17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and
were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very
powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil
would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.
Alma 48:18
18 Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah, yea,
and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his
sons, for they were all men of God.
Alma 48:19
19 Now behold, Helaman and his brethren were no less serviceable
unto the people than was Moroni; for they did preach the word of
God, and they did baptize unto repentance all men whosoever would
hearken unto their words.
Alma 48:20
20 And thus they went forth, and the people did humble
themselves because of their words, insomuch that they were highly
favored of the Lord, and thus they were free from wars and
contentions among themselves, yea, even for the space of four
years.
Alma 48:21
21 But, as I have said, in the latter end of the nineteenth
year, yea, notwithstanding their peace amongst themselves, they
were compelled reluctantly to contend with their brethren, the
Lamanites.
Alma 48:22
22 Yea, and in fine, their wars never did cease for the space of
many years with the Lamanites, notwithstanding their much
reluctance.
Alma 48:23
23 Now, they were sorry to take up arms against the Lamanites,
because they did not delight in the shedding of blood; yea, and
this was not all--they were sorry to be the means of sending so
many of their brethren out of this world into an eternal world,
unprepared to meet their God.
Alma 48:24
24 Nevertheless, they could not suffer to lay down their lives,
that their wives and their children should be massacred by the
barbarous cruelty of those who were once their brethren, yea, and
had dissented from their church, and had left them and had gone
to destroy them by joining the Lamanites.
Alma 48:25
25 Yea, they could not bear that their brethren should rejoice
over the blood of the Nephites, so long as there were any who
should keep the commandments of God, for the promise of the Lord
was, if they should keep his commandments they should prosper in
the land.
Alma 49
Chapter 49
Alma 49:1
1 And now it came to pass in the eleventh month of the
nineteenth year, on the tenth day of the month, the armies of the
Lamanites were seen approaching towards the land of Ammonihah.
Alma 49:2
2 And behold, the city had been rebuilt, and Moroni had
stationed an army by the borders of the city, and they had cast
up dirt around about to shield them from the arrows and the
stones of the Lamanites; for behold, they fought with stones and
with arrows.
Alma 49:3
3 Behold, I said that the city of Ammonihah had been rebuilt. I
say unto you, yea, that it was in part rebuilt; and because the
Lamanites had destroyed it once because of the iniquity of the
people, they supposed that it would again become an easy prey for
them.
Alma 49:4
4 But behold, how great was their disappointment; for behold,
the Nephites had dug up a ridge of earth round about them, which
was so high that the Lamanites could not cast their stones and
their arrows at them that they might take effect, neither could
they come upon them save it was by their place of entrance.
Alma 49:5
5 Now at this time the chief captains of the Lamanites were
astonished exceedingly, because of the wisdom of the Nephites in
preparing their places of security.
Alma 49:6
6 Now the leaders of the Lamanites had supposed, because of the
greatness of their numbers, yea, they supposed that they should
be privileged to come upon them as they had hitherto done; yea,
and they had also prepared themselves with shields, and with
breastplates; and they had also prepared themselves with garments
of skins, yea, very thick garments to cover their nakedness.
Alma 49:7
7 And being thus prepared they supposed that they should easily
overpower and subject their brethren to the yoke of bondage, or
slay and massacre them according to their pleasure.
Alma 49:8
8 But behold, to their uttermost astonishment, they were
prepared for them, in a manner which never had been known among
the children of Lehi. Now they were prepared for the Lamanites,
to battle after the manner of the instructions of Moroni.
Alma 49:9
9 And it came to pass that the Lamanites, or the Amalickiahites,
were exceedingly astonished at their manner of preparation for
war.
Alma 49:10
10 Now, if king Amalickiah had come down out of the land of
Nephi, at the head of his army, perhaps he would have caused the
Lamanites to have attacked the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah;
for behold, he did care not for the blood of his people.
Alma 49:11
11 But behold, Amalickiah did not come down himself to battle.
And behold, his chief captains durst not attack the Nephites at
the city of Ammonihah, for Moroni had altered the management of
affairs among the Nephites, insomuch that the Lamanites were
disappointed in their places of retreat and they could not come
upon them.
Alma 49:12
12 Therefore they retreated into the wilderness, and took their
camp and marched towards the land of Noah, supposing that to be
the next best place for them to come against the Nephites.
Alma 49:13
13 For they knew not that Moroni had fortified, or had built
forts of security, for every city in all the land round about;
therefore, they marched forward to the land of Noah with a firm
determination; yea, their chief captains came forward and took an
oath that they would destroy the people of that city.
Alma 49:14
14 But behold, to their astonishment, the city of Noah, which
had hitherto been a weak place, had now, by the means of Moroni,
become strong, yea, even to exceed the strength of the city
Ammonihah.
Alma 49:15
15 And now, behold, this was wisdom in Moroni; for he had
supposed that they would be frightened at the city Ammonihah; and
as the city of Noah had hitherto been the weakest part of the
land, therefore they would march thither to battle; and thus it
was according to his desires.
Alma 49:16
16 And behold, Moroni had appointed Lehi to be chief captain
over the men of that city; and it was that same Lehi who fought
with the Lamanites in the valley on the east of the river Sidon.
Alma 49:17
17 And now behold it came to pass, that when the Lamanites had
found that Lehi commanded the city they were again disappointed,
for they feared Lehi exceedingly; nevertheless their chief
captains had sworn with an oath to attack the city; therefore,
they brought up their armies.
Alma 49:18
18 Now behold, the Lamanites could not get into their forts of
security by any other way save by the entrance, because of the
highness of the bank which had been thrown up, and the depth of
the ditch which had been dug round about, save it were by the
entrance.
Alma 49:19
19 And thus were the Nephites prepared to destroy all such as
should attempt to climb up to enter the fort by any other way, by
casting over stones and arrows at them.
Alma 49:20
20 Thus they were prepared, yea, a body of their strongest men,
with their swords and their slings, to smite down all who should
attempt to come into their place of security by the place of
entrance; and thus were they prepared to defend themselves
against the Lamanites.
Alma 49:21
21 And it came to pass that the captains of the Lamanites
brought up their armies before the place of entrance, and began
to contend with the Nephites, to get into their place of
security; but behold, they were driven back from time to time,
insomuch that they were slain with an immense slaughter.
Alma 49:22
22 Now when they found that they could not obtain power over the
Nephites by the pass, they began to dig down their banks of earth
that they might obtain a pass to their armies, that they might
have an equal chance to fight; but behold, in these attempts they
were swept off by the stones and arrows which were thrown at
them; and instead of filling up their ditches by pulling down the
banks of earth, they were filled up in a measure with their dead
and wounded bodies.
Alma 49:23
23 Thus the Nephites had all power over their enemies; and thus
the Lamanites did attempt to destroy the Nephites until their
chief captains were all slain; yea, and more than a thousand of
the Lamanites were slain; while, on the other hand, there was not
a single soul of the Nephites which was slain.
Alma 49:24
24 There were about fifty who were wounded, who had been exposed
to the arrows of the Lamanites through the pass, but they were
shielded by their shields, and their breastplates, and their
head-plates, insomuch that their wounds were upon their legs,
many of which were very severe.
Alma 49:25
25 And it came to pass, that when the Lamanites saw that their
chief captains were all slain they fled into the wilderness. And
it came to pass that they returned to the land of Nephi, to
inform their king, Amalickiah, who was a Nephite by birth,
concerning their great loss.
Alma 49:26
26 And it came to pass that he was exceedingly angry with his
people, because he had not obtained his desire over the Nephites;
he had not subjected them to the yoke of bondage.
Alma 49:27
27 Yea, he was exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and also
Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood; and
this because Moroni had kept the commandments of God in preparing
for the safety of his people.
Alma 49:28
28 And it came to pass, that on the other hand, the people of
Nephi did thank the Lord their God, because of his matchless
power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies.
Alma 49:29
29 And thus ended the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi.
Alma 49:30
30 Yea, and there was continual peace among them, and
exceedingly great prosperity in the church because of their heed
and diligence which they gave unto the word of God, which was
declared unto them by Helaman, and Shiblon, and Corianton, and
Ammon and his brethren, yea, and by all those who had been
ordained by the holy order of God, being baptized unto
repentance, and sent forth to preach among the people.
Alma 50
Chapter 50
Alma 50:1
1 And now it came to pass that Moroni did not stop making
preparations for war, or to defend his people against the
Lamanites; for he caused that his armies should commence in the
commencement of the twentieth year of the reign of the judges,
that they should commence in digging up heaps of earth round
about all the cities, throughout all the land which was possessed
by the Nephites.
Alma 50:2
2 And upon the top of these ridges of earth he caused that there
should be timbers, yea, works of timbers built up to the height
of a man, round about the cities.
Alma 50:3
3 And he caused that upon those works of timbers there should be
a frame of pickets built upon the timbers round about; and they
were strong and high.
Alma 50:4
4 And he caused towers to be erected that overlooked those works
of pickets, and he caused places of security to be built upon
those towers, that the stones and the arrows of the Lamanites
could not hurt them.
Alma 50:5
5 And they were prepared that they could cast stones from the
top thereof, according to their pleasure and their strength, and
slay him who should attempt to approach near the walls of the
city.
Alma 50:6
6 Thus Moroni did prepare strongholds against the coming of
their enemies, round about every city in all the land.
Alma 50:7
7 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his armies should
go forth into the east wilderness; yea, and they went forth and
drove all the Lamanites who were in the east wilderness into
their own lands, which were south of the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 50:8
8 And the land of Nephi did run in a straight course from the
east sea to the west.
Alma 50:9
9 And it came to pass that when Moroni had driven all the
Lamanites out of the east wilderness, which was north of the
lands of their own possessions, he caused that the inhabitants
who were in the land of Zarahemla and in the land round about
should go forth into the east wilderness, even to the borders by
the seashore, and possess the land.
Alma 50:10
10 And he also placed armies on the south, in the borders of
their possessions, and caused them to erect fortifications that
they might secure their armies and their people from the hands of
their enemies.
Alma 50:11
11 And thus he cut off all the strongholds of the Lamanites in
the east wilderness, yea, and also on the west, fortifying the
line between the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of
Zarahemla and the land of Nephi, from the west sea, running by
the head of the river Sidon--the Nephites possessing all the land
northward, yea, even all the land which was northward of the land
Bountiful, according to their pleasure.
Alma 50:12
12 Thus Moroni, with his armies, which did increase daily
because of the assurance of protection which his works did bring
forth unto them, did seek to cut off the strength and the power
of the Lamanites from off the lands of their possessions, that
they should have no power upon the lands of their possession.
Alma 50:13
13 And it came to pass that the Nephites began the foundation of
a city, and they called the name of the city Moroni; and it was
by the east sea; and it was on the south by the line of the
possessions of the Lamanites.
Alma 50:14
14 And they also began a foundation for a city between the city
of Moroni and the city of Aaron, joining the borders of Aaron and
Moroni; and they called the name of the city, or the land,
Nephihah.
Alma 50:15
15 And they also began in that same year to build many cities on
the north, one in a particular manner which they called Lehi,
which was in the north by the borders of the seashore.
Alma 50:16
16 And thus ended the twentieth year.
Alma 50:17
17 And in these prosperous circumstances were the people of
Nephi in the commencement of the twenty and first year of the
reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 50:18
18 And they did prosper exceedingly, and they became exceedingly
rich; yea, and they did multiply and wax strong in the land.
Alma 50:19
19 And thus we see how merciful and just are all the dealings of
the Lord, to the fulfilling of all his words unto the children of
men; yea, we can behold that his words are verified, even at this
time, which he spake unto Lehi, saying:
Alma 50:20
20 Blessed art thou and thy children; and they shall be blessed,
inasmuch as they shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in
the land. But remember, inasmuch as they will not keep my
commandments they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
Alma 50:21
21 And we see that these promises have been verified to the
people of Nephi; for it has been their quarrelings and their
contentions, yea, their murderings, and their plunderings, their
idolatry, their whoredoms, and their abominations, which were
among themselves, which brought upon them their wars and their
destructions.
Alma 50:22
22 And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of
the Lord were delivered at all times, whilst thousands of their
wicked brethren have been consigned to bondage, or to perish by
the sword, or to dwindle in unbelief, and mingle with the
Lamanites.
Alma 50:23
23 But behold there never was a happier time among the people of
Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea,
even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of
the judges.
Alma 50:24
24 And it came to pass that the twenty and second year of the
reign of the judges also ended in peace; yea, and also the twenty
and third year.
Alma 50:25
25 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the twenty
and fourth year of the reign of the judges, there would also have
been peace among the people of Nephi had it not been for a
contention which took place among them concerning the land of
Lehi, and the land of Morianton, which joined upon the borders of
Lehi; both of which were on the borders by the seashore.
Alma 50:26
26 For behold, the people who possessed the land of Morianton
did claim a part of the land of Lehi; therefore there began to be
a warm contention between them, insomuch that the people of
Morianton took up arms against their brethren, and they were
determined by the sword to slay them.
Alma 50:27
27 But behold, the people who possessed the land of Lehi fled to
the camp of Moroni, and appealed unto him for assistance; for
behold they were not in the wrong.
Alma 50:28
28 And it came to pass that when the people of Morianton, who
were led by a man whose name was Morianton, found that the people
of Lehi had fled to the camp of Moroni, they were exceedingly
fearful lest the army of Moroni should come upon them and destroy
them.
Alma 50:29
29 Therefore, Morianton put it into their hearts that they
should flee to the land which was northward, which was covered
with large bodies of water, and take possession of the land which
was northward.
Alma 50:30
30 And behold, they would have carried this plan into effect,
(which would have been a cause to have been lamented) but behold,
Morianton being a man of much passion, therefore he was angry
with one of his maid servants, and he fell upon her and beat her
much.
Alma 50:31
31 And it came to pass that she fled, and came over to the camp
of Moroni, and told Moroni all things concerning the matter, and
also concerning their intentions to flee into the land northward.
Alma 50:32
32 Now behold, the people who were in the land Bountiful, or
rather Moroni, feared that they would hearken to the words of
Morianton and unite with his people, and thus he would obtain
possession of those parts of the land, which would lay a
foundation for serious consequences among the people of Nephi,
yea, which consequences would lead to the overthrow of their
liberty.
Alma 50:33
33 Therefore Moroni sent an army, with their camp, to head the
people of Morianton, to stop their flight into the land
northward.
Alma 50:34
34 And it came to pass that they did not head them until they
had come to the borders of the land Desolation; and there they
did head them, by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the
land northward, yea, by the sea, on the west and on the east.
Alma 50:35
35 And it came to pass that the army which was sent by Moroni,
which was led by a man whose name was Teancum, did meet the
people of Morianton; and so stubborn were the people of
Morianton, (being inspired by his wickedness and his flattering
words) that a battle commenced between them, in the which Teancum
did slay Morianton and defeat his army, and took them prisoners,
and returned to the camp of Moroni. And thus ended the twenty
and fourth year of the reign of the judges over the people of
Nephi.
Alma 50:36
36 And thus were the people of Morianton brought back. And upon
their covenanting to keep the peace they were restored to the
land of Morianton, and a union took place between them and the
people of Lehi; and they were also restored to their lands.
Alma 50:37
37 And it came to pass that in the same year that the people of
Nephi had peace restored unto them, that Nephihah, the second
chief judge, died, having filled the judgment-seat with perfect
uprightness before God.
Alma 50:38
38 Nevertheless, he had refused Alma to take possession of those
records and those things which were esteemed by Alma and his
fathers to be most sacred; therefore Alma had conferred them upon
his son, Helaman.
Alma 50:39
39 Behold, it came to pass that the son of Nephihah was
appointed to fill the judgment-seat, in the stead of his father;
yea, he was appointed chief judge and governor over the people,
with an oath and sacred ordinance to judge righteously, and to
keep the peace and the freedom of the people, and to grant unto
them their sacred privileges to worship the Lord their God, yea,
to support and maintain the cause of God all his days, and to
bring the wicked to justice according to their crime.
Alma 50:40
40 Now behold, his name was Pahoran. And Pahoran did fill the
seat of his father, and did commence his reign in the end of the
twenty and fourth year, over the people of Nephi.
Alma 51
Chapter 51
Alma 51:1
1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the twenty and
fifth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi,
they having established peace between the people of Lehi and the
people of Morianton concerning their lands, and having commenced
the twenty and fifth year in peace;
Alma 51:2
2 Nevertheless, they did not long maintain an entire peace in
the land, for there began to be a contention among the people
concerning the chief judge Pahoran; for behold, there were a part
of the people who desired that a few particular points of the law
should be altered.
Alma 51:3
3 But behold, Pahoran would not alter nor suffer the law to be
altered; therefore, he did not hearken to those who had sent in
their voices with their petitions concerning the altering of the
law.
Alma 51:4
4 Therefore, those who were desirous that the law should be
altered were angry with him, and desired that he should no longer
be chief judge over the land; therefore there arose a warm
dispute concerning the matter, but not unto bloodshed.
Alma 51:5
5 And it came to pass that those who were desirous that Pahoran
should be dethroned from the judgment-seat were called king-men,
for they were desirous that the law should be altered in a manner
to overthrow the free government and to establish a king over the
land.
Alma 51:6
6 And those who were desirous that Pahoran should remain chief
judge over the land took upon them the name of freemen; and thus
was the division among them, for the freemen had sworn or
covenanted to maintain their rights and the privileges of their
religion by a free government.
Alma 51:7
7 And it came to pass that this matter of their contention was
settled by the voice of the people. And it came to pass that the
voice of the people came in favor of the freemen, and Pahoran
retained the judgment-seat, which caused much rejoicing among the
brethren of Pahoran and also many of the people of liberty, who
also put the king-men to silence, that they durst not oppose but
were obliged to maintain the cause of freedom.
Alma 51:8
8 Now those who were in favor of kings were those of high birth,
and they sought to be kings; and they were supported by those who
sought power and authority over the people.
Alma 51:9
9 But behold, this was a critical time for such contentions to
be among the people of Nephi; for behold, Amalickiah had again
stirred up the hearts of the people of the Lamanites against the
people of the Nephites, and he was gathering together soldiers
from all parts of his land, and arming them, and preparing for
war with all diligence; for he had sworn to drink the blood of
Moroni.
Alma 51:10
10 But behold, we shall see that his promise which he made was
rash; nevertheless, he did prepare himself and his armies to come
to battle against the Nephites.
Alma 51:11
11 Now his armies were not so great as they had hitherto been,
because of the many thousands who had been slain by the hand of
the Nephites; but notwithstanding their great loss, Amalickiah
had gathered together a wonderfully great army, insomuch that he
feared not to come down to the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 51:12
12 Yea, even Amalickiah did himself come down, at the head of
the Lamanites. And it was in the twenty and fifth year of the
reign of the judges; and it was at the same time that they had
begun to settle the affairs of their contentions concerning the
chief judge, Pahoran.
Alma 51:13
13 And it came to pass that when the men who were called
king-men had heard that the Lamanites were coming down to battle
against them, they were glad in their hearts; and they refused to
take up arms, for they were so wroth with the chief judge, and
also with the people of liberty, that they would not take up arms
to defend their country.
Alma 51:14
14 And it came to pass that when Moroni saw this, and also saw
that the Lamanites were coming into the borders of the land, he
was exceedingly wroth because of the stubbornness of those people
whom he had labored with so much diligence to preserve; yea, he
was exceedingly wroth; his soul was filled with anger against
them.
Alma 51:15
15 And it came to pass that he sent a petition, with the voice
of the people, unto the governor of the land, desiring that he
should read it, and give him (Moroni) power to compel those
dissenters to defend their country or to put them to death.
Alma 51:16
16 For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions
and dissensions among the people; for behold, this had been
hitherto a cause of all their destruction. And it came to pass
that it was granted according to the voice of the people.
Alma 51:17
17 And it came to pass that Moroni commanded that his army
should go against those king-men, to pull down their pride and
their nobility and level them with the earth, or they should take
up arms and support the cause of liberty.
Alma 51:18
18 And it came to pass that the armies did march forth against
them; and they did pull down their pride and their nobility,
insomuch that as they did lift their weapons of war to fight
against the men of Moroni they were hewn down and leveled to the
earth.
Alma 51:19
19 And it came to pass that there were four thousand of those
dissenters who were hewn down by the sword; and those of their
leaders who were not slain in battle were taken and cast into
prison, for there was no time for their trials at this period.
Alma 51:20
20 And the remainder of those dissenters, rather than be smitten
down to the earth by the sword, yielded to the standard of
liberty, and were compelled to hoist the title of liberty upon
their towers, and in their cities, and to take up arms in defence
of their country.
Alma 51:21
21 And thus Moroni put an end to those king-men, that there were
not any known by the appellation of king-men; and thus he put an
end to the stubbornness and the pride of those people who
professed the blood of nobility; but they were brought down to
humble themselves like unto their brethren, and to fight
valiantly for their freedom from bondage.
Alma 51:22
22 Behold, it came to pass that while Moroni was thus breaking
down the wars and contentions among his own people, and
subjecting them to peace and civilization, and making regulations
to prepare for war against the Lamanites, behold, the Lamanites
had come into the land of Moroni, which was in the borders by the
seashore.
Alma 51:23
23 And it came to pass that the Nephites were not sufficiently
strong in the city of Moroni; therefore Amalickiah did drive
them, slaying many. And it came to pass that Amalickiah took
possession of the city, yea, possession of all their
fortifications.
Alma 51:24
24 And those who fled out of the city of Moroni came to the city
of Nephihah; and also the people of the city of Lehi gathered
themselves together, and made preparations and were ready to
receive the Lamanites to battle.
Alma 51:25
25 But it came to pass that Amalickiah would not suffer the
Lamanites to go against the city of Nephihah to battle, but kept
them down by the seashore, leaving men in every city to maintain
and defend it.
Alma 51:26
26 And thus he went on, taking possession of many cities, the
city of Nephihah, and the city of Lehi, and the city of
Morianton, and the city of Omner, and the city of Gid, and the
city of Mulek, all of which were on the east borders by the
seashore.
Alma 51:27
27 And thus had the Lamanites obtained, by the cunning of
Amalickiah, so many cities, by their numberless hosts, all of
which were strongly fortified after the manner of the
fortifications of Moroni; all of which afforded strongholds for
the Lamanites.
Alma 51:28
28 And it came to pass that they marched to the borders of the
land Bountiful, driving the Nephites before them and slaying
many.
Alma 51:29
29 But it came to pass that they were met by Teancum, who had
slain Morianton and had headed his people in his flight.
Alma 51:30
30 And it came to pass that he headed Amalickiah also, as he was
marching forth with his numerous army that he might take
possession of the land Bountiful, and also the land northward.
Alma 51:31
31 But behold he met with a disappointment by being repulsed by
Teancum and his men, for they were great warriors; for every man
of Teancum did exceed the Lamanites in their strength and in
their skill of war, insomuch that they did gain advantage over
the Lamanites.
Alma 51:32
32 And it came to pass that they did harass them, insomuch that
they did slay them even until it was dark. And it came to pass
that Teancum and his men did pitch their tents in the borders of
the land Bountiful; and Amalickiah did pitch his tents in the
borders on the beach by the seashore, and after this manner were
they driven.
Alma 51:33
33 And it came to pass that when the night had come, Teancum and
his servant stole forth and went out by night, and went into the
camp of Amalickiah; and behold, sleep had overpowered them
because of their much fatigue, which was caused by the labors and
heat of the day.
Alma 51:34
34 And it came to pass that Teancum stole privily into the tent
of the king, and put a javelin to his heart; and he did cause the
death of the king immediately that he did not awake his servants.
Alma 51:35
35 And he returned again privily to his own camp, and behold,
his men were asleep, and he awoke them and told them all the
things that he had done.
Alma 51:36
36 And he caused that his armies should stand in readiness, lest
the Lamanites had awakened and should come upon them.
Alma 51:37
37 And thus endeth the twenty and fifth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi; and thus endeth the days of
Amalickiah.
Alma 52
Chapter 52
Alma 52:1
1 And now, it came to pass in the twenty and sixth year of the
reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, behold, when the
Lamanites awoke on the first morning of the first month, behold,
they found Amalickiah was dead in his own tent; and they also saw
that Teancum was ready to give them battle on that day.
Alma 52:2
2 And now, when the Lamanites saw this they were affrighted; and
they abandoned their design in marching into the land northward,
and retreated with all their army into the city of Mulek, and
sought protection in their fortifications.
Alma 52:3
3 And it came to pass that the brother of Amalickiah was
appointed king over the people; and his name was Ammoron; thus
king Ammoron, the brother of king Amalickiah, was appointed to
reign in his stead.
Alma 52:4
4 And it came to pass that he did command that his people should
maintain those cities, which they had taken by the shedding of
blood; for they had not taken any cities save they had lost much
blood.
Alma 52:5
5 And now, Teancum saw that the Lamanites were determined to
maintain those cities which they had taken, and those parts of
the land which they had obtained possession of; and also seeing
the enormity of their number, Teancum thought it was not
expedient that he should attempt to attack them in their forts.
Alma 52:6
6 But he kept his men round about, as if making preparations for
war; yea, and truly he was preparing to defend himself against
them, by casting up walls round about and preparing places of
resort.
Alma 52:7
7 And it came to pass that he kept thus preparing for war until
Moroni had sent a large number of men to strengthen his army.
Alma 52:8
8 And Moroni also sent orders unto him that he should retain all
the prisoners who fell into his hands; for as the Lamanites had
taken many prisoners, that he should retain all the prisoners of
the Lamanites as a ransom for those whom the Lamanites had taken.
Alma 52:9
9 And he also sent orders unto him that he should fortify the
land Bountiful, and secure the narrow pass which led into the
land northward, lest the Lamanites should obtain that point and
should have power to harass them on every side.
Alma 52:10
10 And Moroni also sent unto him, desiring him that he would be
faithful in maintaining that quarter of the land, and that he
would seek every opportunity to scourge the Lamanites in that
quarter, as much as was in his power, that perhaps he might take
again by stratagem or some other way those cities which had been
taken out of their hands; and that he also would fortify and
strengthen the cities round about, which had not fallen into the
hands of the Lamanites.
Alma 52:11
11 And he also said unto him, I would come unto you, but behold,
the Lamanites are upon us in the borders of the land by the west
sea; and behold, I go against them, therefore I cannot come unto
you.
Alma 52:12
12 Now, the king (Ammoron) had departed out of the land of
Zarahemla, and had made known unto the queen concerning the death
of his brother, and had gathered together a large number of men,
and had marched forth against the Nephites on the borders by the
west sea.
Alma 52:13
13 And thus he was endeavoring to harass the Nephites, and to
draw away a part of their forces to that part of the land, while
he had commanded those whom he had left to possess the cities
which he had taken, that they should also harass the Nephites on
the borders by the east sea, and should take possession of their
lands as much as it was in their power, according to the power of
their armies.
Alma 52:14
14 And thus were the Nephites in those dangerous circumstances
in the ending of the twenty and sixth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 52:15
15 But behold, it came to pass in the twenty and seventh year of
the reign of the judges, that Teancum, by the command of
Moroni--who had established armies to protect the south and the
west borders of the land, and had begun his march towards the
land Bountiful, that he might assist Teancum with his men in
retaking the cities which they had lost--
Alma 52:16
16 And it came to pass that Teancum had received orders to make
an attack upon the city of Mulek, and retake it if it were
possible.
Alma 52:17
17 And it came to pass that Teancum made preparations to make an
attack upon the city of Mulek, and march forth with his army
against the Lamanites; but he saw that it was impossible that he
could overpower them while they were in their fortifications;
therefore he abandoned his designs and returned again to the city
Bountiful, to wait for the coming of Moroni, that he might
receive strength to his army.
Alma 52:18
18 And it came to pass that Moroni did arrive with his army at
the land of Bountiful, in the latter end of the twenty and
seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 52:19
19 And in the commencement of the twenty and eighth year, Moroni
and Teancum and many of the chief captains held a council of
war--what they should do to cause the Lamanites to come out
against them to battle; or that they might by some means flatter
them out of their strongholds, that they might gain advantage
over them and take again the city of Mulek.
Alma 52:20
20 And it came to pass they sent embassies to the army of the
Lamanites, which protected the city of Mulek, to their leader,
whose name was Jacob, desiring him that he would come out with
his armies to meet them upon the plains between the two cities.
But behold, Jacob, who was a Zoramite, would not come out with
his army to meet them upon the plains.
Alma 52:21
21 And it came to pass that Moroni, having no hopes of meeting
them upon fair grounds, therefore, he resolved upon a plan that
he might decoy the Lamanites out of their strongholds.
Alma 52:22
22 Therefore he caused that Teancum should take a small number
of men and march down near the seashore; and Moroni and his army,
by night, marched in the wilderness, on the west of the city
Mulek; and thus, on the morrow, when the guards of the Lamanites
had discovered Teancum, they ran and told it unto Jacob, their
leader.
Alma 52:23
23 And it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites did
march forth against Teancum, supposing by their numbers to
overpower Teancum because of the smallness of his numbers. And
as Teancum saw the armies of the Lamanites coming out against him
he began to retreat down by the seashore, northward.
Alma 52:24
24 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that he began
to flee, they took courage and pursued them with vigor. And
while Teancum was thus leading away the Lamanites who were
pursuing them in vain, behold, Moroni commanded that a part of
his army who were with him should march forth into the city, and
take possession of it.
Alma 52:25
25 And thus they did, and slew all those who had been left to
protect the city, yea, all those who would not yield up their
weapons of war.
Alma 52:26
26 And thus Moroni had obtained possession of the city Mulek
with a part of his army, while he marched with the remainder to
meet the Lamanites when they should return from the pursuit of
Teancum.
Alma 52:27
27 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did pursue Teancum
until they came near the city Bountiful, and then they were met
by Lehi and a small army, which had been left to protect the city
Bountiful.
Alma 52:28
28 And now behold, when the chief captains of the Lamanites had
beheld Lehi with his army coming against them, they fled in much
confusion, lest perhaps they should not obtain the city Mulek
before Lehi should overtake them; for they were wearied because
of their march, and the men of Lehi were fresh.
Alma 52:29
29 Now the Lamanites did not know that Moroni had been in their
rear with his army; and all they feared was Lehi and his men.
Alma 52:30
30 Now Lehi was not desirous to overtake them till they should
meet Moroni and his army.
Alma 52:31
31 And it came to pass that before the Lamanites had retreated
far they were surrounded by the Nephites, by the men of Moroni on
one hand, and the men of Lehi on the other, all of whom were
fresh and full of strength; but the Lamanites were wearied
because of their long march.
Alma 52:32
32 And Moroni commanded his men that they should fall upon them
until they had given up their weapons of war.
Alma 52:33
33 And it came to pass that Jacob, being their leader, being
also a Zoramite, and having an unconquerable spirit, he led the
Lamanites forth to battle with exceeding fury against Moroni.
Alma 52:34
34 Moroni being in their course of march, therefore Jacob was
determined to slay them and cut his way through to the city of
Mulek. But behold, Moroni and his men were more powerful;
therefore they did not give way before the Lamanites.
Alma 52:35
35 And it came to pass that they fought on both hands with
exceeding fury; and there were many slain on both sides; yea, and
Moroni was wounded and Jacob was killed.
Alma 52:36
36 And Lehi pressed upon their rear with such fury with his
strong men, that the Lamanites in the rear delivered up their
weapons of war; and the remainder of them, being much confused,
knew not whither to go or to strike.
Alma 52:37
37 Now Moroni seeing their confusion, he said unto them: If ye
will bring forth your weapons of war and deliver them up, behold
we will forbear shedding your blood.
Alma 52:38
38 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites had heard these
words, their chief captains, all those who were not slain, came
forth and threw down their weapons of war at the feet of Moroni,
and also commanded their men that they should do the same.
Alma 52:39
39 But behold, there were many that would not; and those who
would not deliver up their swords were taken and bound, and their
weapons of war were taken from them, and they were compelled to
march with their brethren forth into the land Bountiful.
Alma 52:40
40 And now the number of prisoners who were taken exceeded more
than the number of those who had been slain, yea, more than those
who had been slain on both sides.
Alma 53
Chapter 53
Alma 53:1
1 And it came to pass that they did set guards over the
prisoners of the Lamanites, and did compel them to go forth and
bury their dead, yea, and also the dead of the Nephites who were
slain; and Moroni placed men over them to guard them while they
should perform their labors.
Alma 53:2
2 And Moroni went to the city of Mulek with Lehi, and took
command of the city and gave it unto Lehi. Now behold, this Lehi
was a man who had been with Moroni in the more part of all his
battles; and he was a man like unto Moroni, and they rejoiced in
each other's safety; yea, they were beloved by each other, and
also beloved by all the people of Nephi.
Alma 53:3
3 And it came to pass that after the Lamanites had finished
burying their dead and also the dead of the Nephites, they were
marched back into the land Bountiful; and Teancum, by the orders
of Moroni, caused that they should commence laboring in digging a
ditch round about the land, or the city, Bountiful.
Alma 53:4
4 And he caused that they should build a breastwork of timbers
upon the inner bank of the ditch; and they cast up dirt out of
the ditch against the breastwork of timbers; and thus they did
cause the Lamanites to labor until they had encircled the city of
Bountiful round about with a strong wall of timbers and earth, to
an exceeding height.
Alma 53:5
5 And this city became an exceeding stronghold ever after; and
in this city they did guard the prisoners of the Lamanites; yea,
even within a wall which they had caused them to build with their
own hands. Now Moroni was compelled to cause the Lamanites to
labor, because it was easy to guard them while at their labor;
and he desired all his forces when he should make an attack upon
the Lamanites.
Alma 53:6
6 And it came to pass that Moroni had thus gained a victory over
one of the greatest of the armies of the Lamanites, and had
obtained possession of the city of Mulek, which was one of the
strongest holds of the Lamanites in the land of Nephi; and thus
he had also built a stronghold to retain his prisoners.
Alma 53:7
7 And it came to pass that he did no more attempt a battle with
the Lamanites in that year, but he did employ his men in
preparing for war, yea, and in making fortifications to guard
against the Lamanites, yea, and also delivering their women and
their children from famine and affliction, and providing food for
their armies.
Alma 53:8
8 And now it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites, on
the west sea, south, while in the absence of Moroni on account of
some intrigue amongst the Nephites, which caused dissensions
amongst them, had gained some ground over the Nephites, yea,
insomuch that they had obtained possession of a number of their
cities in that part of the land.
Alma 53:9
9 And thus because of iniquity amongst themselves, yea, because
of dissensions and intrigue among themselves they were placed in
the most dangerous circumstances.
Alma 53:10
10 And now behold, I have somewhat to say concerning the people
of Ammon, who in the beginning, were Lamanites; but by Ammon and
his brethren, or rather by the power and word of God, they had
been converted unto the Lord; and they had been brought down into
the land of Zarahemla, and had ever since been protected by the
Nephites.
Alma 53:11
11 And because of their oath they had been kept from taking up
arms against their brethren; for they had taken an oath that they
never would shed blood more; and according to their oath they
would have perished; yea, they would have suffered themselves to
have fallen into the hands of their brethren, had it not been for
the pity and the exceeding love which Ammon and his brethren had
had for them.
Alma 53:12
12 And for this cause they were brought down into the land of
Zarahemla; and they ever had been protected by the Nephites.
Alma 53:13
13 But it came to pass that when they saw the danger, and the
many afflictions and tribulations which the Nephites bore for
them, they were moved with compassion and were desirous to take
up arms in the defence of their country.
Alma 53:14
14 But behold, as they were about to take their weapons of war,
they were overpowered by the persuasions of Helaman and his
brethren, for they were about to break the oath which they had
made.
Alma 53:15
15 And Helaman feared lest by so doing they should lose their
souls; therefore all those who had entered into this covenant
were compelled to behold their brethren wade through their
afflictions, in their dangerous circumstances at this time.
Alma 53:16
16 But behold, it came to pass they had many sons, who had not
entered into a covenant that they would not take their weapons of
war to defend themselves against their enemies; therefore they
did assemble themselves together at this time, as many as were
able to take up arms, and they called themselves Nephites.
Alma 53:17
17 And they entered into a covenant to fight for the liberty of
the Nephites, yea, to protect the land unto the laying down of
their lives; yea, even they covenanted that they never would give
up their liberty, but they would fight in all cases to protect
the Nephites and themselves from bondage.
Alma 53:18
18 Now behold, there were two thousand of those young men, who
entered into this covenant and took their weapons of war to
defend their country.
Alma 53:19
19 And now behold, as they never had hitherto been a
disadvantage to the Nephites, they became now at this period of
time also a great support; for they took their weapons of war,
and they would that Helaman should be their leader.
Alma 53:20
20 And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly
valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but
behold, this was not all--they were men who were true at all
times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.
Alma 53:21
21 Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been
taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly
before him.
Alma 53:22
22 And now it came to pass that Helaman did march at the head of
his two thousand stripling soldiers, to the support of the people
in the borders of the land on the south by the west sea.
Alma 53:23
23 And thus ended the twenty and eighth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 54
Chapter 54
Alma 54:1
1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the twenty and
ninth year of the judges, that Ammoron sent unto Moroni desiring
that he would exchange prisoners.
Alma 54:2
2 And it came to pass that Moroni felt to rejoice exceedingly at
this request, for he desired the provisions which were imparted
for the support of the Lamanite prisoners for the support of his
own people; and he also desired his own people for the
strengthening of his army.
Alma 54:3
3 Now the Lamanites had taken many women and children, and there
was not a woman nor a child among all the prisoners of Moroni, or
the prisoners whom Moroni had taken; therefore Moroni resolved
upon a stratagem to obtain as many prisoners of the Nephites from
the Lamanites as it were possible.
Alma 54:4
4 Therefore he wrote an epistle, and sent it by the servant of
Ammoron, the same who had brought an epistle to Moroni. Now
these are the words which he wrote unto Ammoron, saying:
Alma 54:5
5 Behold, Ammoron, I have written unto you somewhat concerning
this war which ye have waged against my people, or rather which
thy brother hath waged against them, and which ye are still
determined to carry on after his death.
Alma 54:6
6 Behold, I would tell you somewhat concerning the justice of
God, and the sword of his almighty wrath, which doth hang over
you except ye repent and withdraw your armies into your own
lands, or the land of your possessions, which is the land of
Nephi.
Alma 54:7
7 Yea, I would tell you these things if ye were capable of
hearkening unto them; yea, I would tell you concerning that awful
hell that awaits to receive such murderers as thou and thy
brother have been, except ye repent and withdraw your murderous
purposes, and return with your armies to your own lands.
Alma 54:8
8 But as ye have once rejected these things, and have fought
against the people of the Lord, even so I may expect you will do
it again.
Alma 54:9
9 And now behold, we are prepared to receive you; yea, and
except you withdraw your purposes, behold, ye will pull down the
wrath of that God whom you have rejected upon you, even to your
utter destruction.
Alma 54:10
10 But, as the Lord liveth, our armies shall come upon you
except ye withdraw, and ye shall soon be visited with death, for
we will retain our cities and our lands; yea, and we will
maintain our religion and the cause of our God.
Alma 54:11
11 But behold, it supposeth me that I talk to you concerning
these things in vain; or it supposeth me that thou art a child of
hell; therefore I will close my epistle by telling you that I
will not exchange prisoners, save it be on conditions that ye
will deliver up a man and his wife and his children, for one
prisoner; if this be the case that ye will do it, I will
exchange.
Alma 54:12
12 And behold, if you do not this, I will come against you with
my armies; yea, even I will arm my women and my children, and I
will come against you, and I will follow you even into your own
land, which is the land of our first inheritance; yea, and it
shall be blood for blood, yea, life for life; and I will give you
battle even until you are destroyed from off the face of the
earth.
Alma 54:13
13 Behold, I am in my anger, and also my people; ye have sought
to murder us, and we have only sought to defend ourselves. But
behold, if ye seek to destroy us more we will seek to destroy
you; yea, and we will seek our land, the land of our first
inheritance.
Alma 54:14
14 Now I close my epistle. I am Moroni; I am a leader of the
people of the Nephites.
Alma 54:15
15 Now it came to pass that Ammoron, when he had received this
epistle, was angry; and he wrote another epistle unto Moroni, and
these are the words which he wrote, saying:
Alma 54:16
16 I am Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites; I am the brother of
Amalickiah whom ye have murdered. Behold, I will avenge his
blood upon you, yea, and I will come upon you with my armies for
I fear not your threatenings.
Alma 54:17
17 For behold, your fathers did wrong their brethren, insomuch
that they did rob them of their right to the government when it
rightly belonged unto them.
Alma 54:18
18 And now behold, if ye will lay down your arms, and subject
yourselves to be governed by those to whom the government doth
rightly belong, then will I cause that my people shall lay down
their weapons and shall be at war no more.
Alma 54:19
19 Behold, ye have breathed out many threatenings against me and
my people; but behold, we fear not your threatenings.
Alma 54:20
20 Nevertheless, I will grant to exchange prisoners according to
your request, gladly, that I may preserve my food for my men of
war; and we will wage a war which shall be eternal, either to the
subjecting the Nephites to our authority or to their eternal
extinction.
Alma 54:21
21 And as concerning that God whom ye say we have rejected,
behold, we know not such a being; neither do ye; but if it so be
that there is such a thing, we know not but that he hath made us
as well as you.
Alma 54:22
22 And if it so be that there is a devil and a hell, behold will
he not send you there to dwell with my brother whom ye have
murdered, whom ye have hinted that he hath gone to such a place?
But behold these things matter not.
Alma 54:23
23 I am Ammoron, and a descendant of Zoram, whom your fathers
pressed and brought out of Jerusalem.
Alma 54:24
24 And behold now, I am a bold Lamanite; behold, this war hath
been waged to avenge their wrongs, and to maintain and to obtain
their rights to the government; and I close my epistle to Moroni.
Alma 55
Chapter 55
Alma 55:1
1 Now it came to pass that when Moroni had received this epistle
he was more angry, because he knew that Ammoron had a perfect
knowledge of his fraud; yea, he knew that Ammoron knew that it
was not a just cause that had caused him to wage a war against
the people of Nephi.
Alma 55:2
2 And he said: Behold, I will not exchange prisoners with
Ammoron save he will withdraw his purpose, as I have stated in my
epistle; for I will not grant unto him that he shall have any
more power than what he hath got.
Alma 55:3
3 Behold, I know the place where the Lamanites do guard my
people whom they have taken prisoners; and as Ammoron would not
grant unto me mine epistle, behold, I will give unto him
according to my words; yea, I will seek death among them until
they shall sue for peace.
Alma 55:4
4 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had said these words,
he caused that a search should be made among his men, that
perhaps he might find a man who was a descendant of Laman among
them.
Alma 55:5
5 And it came to pass that they found one, whose name was Laman;
and he was one of the servants of the king who was murdered by
Amalickiah.
Alma 55:6
6 Now Moroni caused that Laman and a small number of his men
should go forth unto the guards who were over the Nephites.
Alma 55:7
7 Now the Nephites were guarded in the city of Gid; therefore
Moroni appointed Laman and caused that a small number of men
should go with him.
Alma 55:8
8 And when it was evening Laman went to the guards who were over
the Nephites, and behold, they saw him coming and they hailed
him; but he saith unto them: Fear not; behold, I am a Lamanite.
Behold, we have escaped from the Nephites, and they sleep; and
behold we have taken of their wine and brought with us.
Alma 55:9
9 Now when the Lamanites heard these words they received him
with joy; and they said unto him: Give us of your wine, that we
may drink; we are glad that ye have thus taken wine with you for
we are weary.
Alma 55:10
10 But Laman said unto them: Let us keep of our wine till we go
against the Nephites to battle. But this saying only made them
more desirous to drink of the wine;
Alma 55:11
11 For, said they: We are weary, therefore let us take of the
wine, and by and by we shall receive wine for our rations, which
will strengthen us to go against the Nephites.
Alma 55:12
12 And Laman said unto them: You may do according to your
desires.
Alma 55:13
13 And it came to pass that they did take of the wine freely;
and it was pleasant to their taste, therefore they took of it
more freely; and it was strong, having been prepared in its
strength.
Alma 55:14
14 And it came to pass they did drink and were merry, and by and
by they were all drunken.
Alma 55:15
15 And now when Laman and his men saw that they were all
drunken, and were in a deep sleep, they returned to Moroni and
told him all the things that had happened.
Alma 55:16
16 And now this was according to the design of Moroni. And
Moroni had prepared his men with weapons of war; and he went to
the city Gid, while the Lamanites were in a deep sleep and
drunken, and cast in weapons of war unto the prisoners, insomuch
that they were all armed;
Alma 55:17
17 Yea, even to their women, and all those of their children, as
many as were able to use a weapon of war, when Moroni had armed
all those prisoners; and all those things were done in a profound
silence.
Alma 55:18
18 But had they awakened the Lamanites, behold they were drunken
and the Nephites could have slain them.
Alma 55:19
19 But behold, this was not the desire of Moroni; he did not
delight in murder or bloodshed, but he delighted in the saving of
his people from destruction; and for this cause he might not
bring upon him injustice, he would not fall upon the Lamanites
and destroy them in their drunkenness.
Alma 55:20
20 But he had obtained his desires; for he had armed those
prisoners of the Nephites who were within the wall of the city,
and had given them power to gain possession of those parts which
were within the walls.
Alma 55:21
21 And then he caused the men who were with him to withdraw a
pace from them, and surround the armies of the Lamanites.
Alma 55:22
22 Now behold this was done in the night-time, so that when the
Lamanites awoke in the morning they beheld that they were
surrounded by the Nephites without, and that their prisoners were
armed within.
Alma 55:23
23 And thus they saw that the Nephites had power over them; and
in these circumstances they found that it was not expedient that
they should fight with the Nephites; therefore their chief
captains demanded their weapons of war, and they brought them
forth and cast them at the feet of the Nephites, pleading for
mercy.
Alma 55:24
24 Now behold, this was the desire of Moroni. He took them
prisoners of war, and took possession of the city, and caused
that all the prisoners should be liberated, who were Nephites;
and they did join the army of Moroni, and were a great strength
to his army.
Alma 55:25
25 And it came to pass that he did cause the Lamanites, whom he
had taken prisoners, that they should commence a labor in
strengthening the fortifications round about the city Gid.
Alma 55:26
26 And it came to pass that when he had fortified the city Gid,
according to his desires, he caused that his prisoners should be
taken to the city Bountiful; and he also guarded that city with
an exceedingly strong force.
Alma 55:27
27 And it came to pass that they did, notwithstanding all the
intrigues of the Lamanites, keep and protect all the prisoners
whom they had taken, and also maintain all the ground and the
advantage which they had retaken.
Alma 55:28
28 And it came to pass that the Nephites began again to be
victorious, and to reclaim their rights and their privileges.
Alma 55:29
29 Many time did the Lamanites attempt to encircle them about by
night, but in these attempts they did lose many prisoners.
Alma 55:30
30 And many times did they attempt to administer of their wine
to the Nephites, that they might destroy them with poison or with
drunkenness.
Alma 55:31
31 But behold, the Nephites were not slow to remember the Lord
their God in this their time of affliction. They could not be
taken in their snares; yea, they would not partake of their wine,
save they had first given to some of the Lamanite prisoners.
Alma 55:32
32 And they were thus cautious that no poison should be
administered among them; for if their wine would poison a
Lamanite it would also poison a Nephite; and thus they did try
all their liquors.
Alma 55:33
33 And now it came to pass that it was expedient for Moroni to
make preparations to attack the city Morianton; for behold, the
Lamanites had, by their labors, fortified the city Morianton
until it had become an exceeding stronghold.
Alma 55:34
34 And they were continually bringing new forces into that city,
and also new supplies of provisions.
Alma 55:35
35 And thus ended the twenty and ninth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 56
Chapter 56
Alma 56:1
1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the thirtieth
year of the reign of the judges, on the second day in the first
month, Moroni received an epistle from Helaman, stating the
affairs of the people in that quarter of the land.
Alma 56:2
2 And these are the words which he wrote, saying: My dearly
beloved brother, Moroni, as well in the Lord as in the
tribulations of our warfare; behold, my beloved brother, I have
somewhat to tell you concerning our warfare in this part of the
land.
Alma 56:3
3 Behold, two thousand of the sons of those men whom Ammon
brought down out of the land of Nephi--now ye have known that
these were descendants of Laman, who was the eldest son of our
father Lehi;
Alma 56:4
4 Now I need not rehearse unto you concerning their traditions
or their unbelief, for thou knowest concerning all these things--
Alma 56:5
5 Therefore it sufficeth me that I tell you that two thousand of
these young men have taken their weapons of war, and would that I
should be their leader; and we have come forth to defend our
country.
Alma 56:6
6 And now ye also know concerning the covenant which their
fathers made, that they would not take up their weapons of war
against their brethren to shed blood.
Alma 56:7
7 But in the twenty and sixth year, when they saw our
afflictions and our tribulations for them, they were about to
break the covenant which they had made and take up their weapons
of war in our defence.
Alma 56:8
8 But I would not suffer them that they should break this
covenant which they had made, supposing that God would strengthen
us, insomuch that we should not suffer more because of the
fulfilling the oath which they had taken.
Alma 56:9
9 But behold, here is one thing in which we may have great joy.
For behold, in the twenty and sixth year, I, Helaman, did march
at the head of these two thousand young men to the city of Judea,
to assist Antipus, whom ye had appointed a leader over the people
of that part of the land.
Alma 56:10
10 And I did join my two thousand sons, (for they are worthy to
be called sons) to the army of Antipus, in which strength Antipus
did rejoice exceedingly; for behold, his army had been reduced by
the Lamanites because their forces had slain a vast number of our
men, for which cause we have to mourn.
Alma 56:11
11 Nevertheless, we may console ourselves in this point, that
they have died in the cause of their country and of their God,
yea, and they are happy.
Alma 56:12
12 And the Lamanites had also retained many prisoners, all of
whom are chief captains, for none other have they spared alive.
And we suppose that they are now at this time in the land of
Nephi; it is so if they are not slain.
Alma 56:13
13 And now these are the cities of which the Lamanites have
obtained possession by the shedding of the blood of so many of
our valiant men:
Alma 56:14
14 The land of Manti, or the city of Manti, and the city of
Zeezrom, and the city of Cumeni, and the city of Antiparah.
Alma 56:15
15 And these are the cities which they possessed when I arrived
at the city of Judea; and I found Antipus and his men toiling
with their might to fortify the city.
Alma 56:16
16 Yea, and they were depressed in body as well as in spirit,
for they had fought valiantly by day and toiled by night to
maintain their cities; and thus they had suffered great
afflictions of every kind.
Alma 56:17
17 And now they were determined to conquer in this place or die;
therefore you may well suppose that this little force which I
brought with me, yea, those sons of mine, gave them great hopes
and much joy.
Alma 56:18
18 And now it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that
Antipus had received a greater strength to his army, they were
compelled by the orders of Ammoron to not come against the city
of Judea, or against us, to battle.
Alma 56:19
19 And thus were we favored of the Lord; for had they come upon
us in this our weakness they might have perhaps destroyed our
little army; but thus were we preserved.
Alma 56:20
20 They were commanded by Ammoron to maintain those cities which
they had taken. And thus ended the twenty and sixth year. And
in the commencement of the twenty and seventh year we had
prepared our city and ourselves for defence.
Alma 56:21
21 Now we were desirous that the Lamanites should come upon us;
for we were not desirous to make an attack upon them in their
strongholds.
Alma 56:22
22 And it came to pass that we kept spies out round about, to
watch the movements of the Lamanites, that they might not pass us
by night nor by day to make an attack upon our other cities which
were on the northward.
Alma 56:23
23 For we knew in those cities they were not sufficiently strong
to meet them; therefore we were desirous, if they should pass by
us, to fall upon them in their rear, and thus bring them up in
the rear at the same time they were met in the front. We
supposed that we could overpower them; but behold, we were
disappointed in this our desire.
Alma 56:24
24 They durst not pass by us with their whole army, neither
durst they with a part, lest they should not be sufficiently
strong and they should fall.
Alma 56:25
25 Neither durst they march down against the city of Zarahemla;
neither durst they cross the head of Sidon, over to the city of
Nephihah.
Alma 56:26
26 And thus, with their forces, they were determined to maintain
those cities which they had taken.
Alma 56:27
27 And now it came to pass in the second month of this year,
there was brought unto us many provisions from the fathers of
those my two thousand sons.
Alma 56:28
28 And also there were sent two thousand men unto us from the
land of Zarahemla. And thus we were prepared with ten thousand
men, and provisions for them, and also for their wives and their
children.
Alma 56:29
29 And the Lamanites, thus seeing our forces increase daily, and
provisions arrive for our support, they began to be fearful, and
began to sally forth, if it were possible to put an end to our
receiving provisions and strength.
Alma 56:30
30 Now when we saw that the Lamanites began to grow uneasy on
this wise, we were desirous to bring a stratagem into effect upon
them; therefore Antipus ordered that I should march forth with my
little sons to a neighboring city, as if we were carrying
provisions to a neighboring city.
Alma 56:31
31 And we were to march near the city of Antiparah, as if we
were going to the city beyond, in the borders by the seashore.
Alma 56:32
32 And it came to pass that we did march forth, as if with our
provisions, to go to that city.
Alma 56:33
33 And it came to pass that Antipus did march forth with a part
of his army, leaving the remainder to maintain the city. But he
did not march forth until I had gone forth with my little army,
and came near the city Antiparah.
Alma 56:34
34 And now, in the city Antiparah were stationed the strongest
army of the Lamanites; yea, the most numerous.
Alma 56:35
35 And it came to pass that when they had been informed by their
spies, they came forth with their army and marched against us.
Alma 56:36
36 And it came to pass that we did flee before them, northward.
And thus we did lead away the most powerful army of the
Lamanites;
Alma 56:37
37 Yea, even to a considerable distance, insomuch that when they
saw the army of Antipus pursuing them, with their might, they did
not turn to the right nor to the left, but pursued their march in
a straight course after us; and, as we suppose, it was their
intent to slay us before Antipus should overtake them, and this
that they might not be surrounded by our people.
Alma 56:38
38 And now Antipus, beholding our danger, did speed the march of
his army. But behold, it was night; therefore they did not
overtake us, neither did Antipus overtake them; therefore we did
camp for the night.
Alma 56:39
39 And it came to pass that before the dawn of the morning,
behold, the Lamanites were pursuing us. Now we were not
sufficiently strong to contend with them; yea, I would not suffer
that my little sons should fall into their hands; therefore we
did continue our march, and we took our march into the
wilderness.
Alma 56:40
40 Now they durst not turn to the right nor to the left lest
they should be surrounded; neither would I turn to the right nor
to the left lest they should overtake me, and we could not stand
against them, but be slain, and they would make their escape; and
thus we did flee all that day into the wilderness, even until it
was dark.
Alma 56:41
41 And it came to pass that again, when the light of the morning
came we saw the Lamanites upon us, and we did flee before them.
Alma 56:42
42 But it came to pass that they did not pursue us far before
they halted; and it was in the morning of the third day of the
seventh month.
Alma 56:43
43 And now, whether they were overtaken by Antipus we knew not,
but I said unto my men: Behold, we know not but they have halted
for the purpose that we should come against them, that they might
catch us in their snare;
Alma 56:44
44 Therefore what say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to
battle?
Alma 56:45
45 And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never
had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites.
Alma 56:46
46 For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of
them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our
God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then
let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let
us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the
army of Antipus.
Alma 56:47
47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and
they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they
did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers,
that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.
Alma 56:48
48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers,
saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.
Alma 56:49
49 And it came to pass that I did return with my two thousand
against these Lamanites who had pursued us. And now behold, the
armies of Antipus had overtaken them, and a terrible battle had
commenced.
Alma 56:50
50 The army of Antipus being weary, because of their long march
in so short a space of time, were about to fall into the hands of
the Lamanites; and had I not returned with my two thousand they
would have obtained their purpose.
Alma 56:51
51 For Antipus had fallen by the sword, and many of his leaders,
because of their weariness, which was occasioned by the speed of
their march--therefore the men of Antipus, being confused because
of the fall of their leaders, began to give way before the
Lamanites.
Alma 56:52
52 And it came to pass that the Lamanites took courage, and
began to pursue them; and thus were the Lamanites pursuing them
with great vigor when Helaman came upon their rear with his two
thousand, and began to slay them exceedingly, insomuch that the
whole army of the Lamanites halted and turned upon Helaman.
Alma 56:53
53 Now when the people of Antipus saw that the Lamanites had
turned them about, they gathered together their men and came
again upon the rear of the Lamanites.
Alma 56:54
54 And now it came to pass that we, the people of Nephi, the
people of Antipus, and I with my two thousand, did surround the
Lamanites, and did slay them; yea, insomuch that they were
compelled to deliver up their weapons of war and also themselves
as prisoners of war.
Alma 56:55
55 And now it came to pass that when they had surrendered
themselves up unto us, behold, I numbered those young men who had
fought with me, fearing lest there were many of them slain.
Alma 56:56
56 But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them
fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the
strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with
such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they
fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for
this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners
of war.
Alma 56:57
57 And as we had no place for our prisoners, that we could guard
them to keep them from the armies of the Lamanites, therefore we
sent them to the land of Zarahemla, and a part of those men who
were not slain of Antipus, with them; and the remainder I took
and joined them to my stripling Ammonites, and took our march
back to the city of Judea.
Alma 57
Chapter 57
Alma 57:1
1 And now it came to pass that I received an epistle from
Ammoron, the king, stating that if I would deliver up those
prisoners of war whom we had taken that he would deliver up the
city of Antiparah unto us.
Alma 57:2
2 But I sent an epistle unto the king, that we were sure our
forces were sufficient to take the city of Antiparah by our
force; and by delivering up the prisoners for that city we should
suppose ourselves unwise, and that we would only deliver up our
prisoners on exchange.
Alma 57:3
3 And Ammoron refused mine epistle, for he would not exchange
prisoners; therefore we began to make preparations to go against
the city of Antiparah.
Alma 57:4
4 But the people of Antiparah did leave the city, and fled to
their other cities, which they had possession of, to fortify
them; and thus the city of Antiparah fell into our hands.
Alma 57:5
5 And thus ended the twenty and eighth year of the reign of the
judges.
Alma 57:6
6 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the twenty and
ninth year, we received a supply of provisions, and also an
addition to our army, from the land of Zarahemla, and from the
land round about, to the number of six thousand men, besides
sixty of the sons of the Ammonites who had come to join their
brethren, my little band of two thousand. And now behold, we
were strong, yea, and we had also plenty of provisions brought
unto us.
Alma 57:7
7 And it came to pass that it was our desire to wage a battle
with the army which was placed to protect the city Cumeni.
Alma 57:8
8 And now behold, I will show unto you that we soon accomplished
our desire; yea, with our strong force, or with a part of our
strong force, we did surround, by night, the city Cumeni, a
little before they were to receive a supply of provisions.
Alma 57:9
9 And it came to pass that we did camp round about the city for
many nights; but we did sleep upon our swords, and keep guards,
that the Lamanites could not come upon us by night and slay us,
which they attempted many times; but as many times as they
attempted this their blood was spilt.
Alma 57:10
10 At length their provisions did arrive, and they were about to
enter the city by night. And we, instead of being Lamanites,
were Nephites; therefore, we did take them and their provisions.
Alma 57:11
11 And notwithstanding the Lamanites being cut off from their
support after this manner, they were still determined to maintain
the city; therefore it became expedient that we should take those
provisions and send them to Judea, and our prisoners to the land
of Zarahemla.
Alma 57:12
12 And it came to pass that not many days had passed away before
the Lamanites began to lose all hopes of succor; therefore they
yielded up the city unto our hands; and thus we had accomplished
our designs in obtaining the city Cumeni.
Alma 57:13
13 But it came to pass that our prisoners were so numerous that,
notwithstanding the enormity of our numbers, we were obliged to
employ all our force to keep them, or to put them to death.
Alma 57:14
14 For behold, they would break out in great numbers, and would
fight with stones, and with clubs, or whatsoever thing they could
get into their hands, insomuch that we did slay upwards of two
thousand of them after they had surrendered themselves prisoners
of war.
Alma 57:15
15 Therefore it became expedient for us, that we should put an
end to their lives, or guard them, sword in hand, down to the
land of Zarahemla; and also our provisions were not any more than
sufficient for our own people, notwithstanding that which we had
taken from the Lamanites.
Alma 57:16
16 And now, in those critical circumstances, it became a very
serious matter to determine concerning these prisoners of war;
nevertheless, we did resolve to send them down to the land of
Zarahemla; therefore we selected a part of our men, and gave them
charge over our prisoners to go down to the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 57:17
17 But it came to pass that on the morrow they did return. And
now behold, we did not inquire of them concerning the prisoners;
for behold, the Lamanites were upon us, and they returned in
season to save us from falling into their hands. For behold,
Ammoron had sent to their support a new supply of provisions and
also a numerous army of men.
Alma 57:18
18 And it came to pass that those men whom we sent with the
prisoners did arrive in season to check them, as they were about
to overpower us.
Alma 57:19
19 But behold, my little band of two thousand and sixty fought
most desperately; yea, they were firm before the Lamanites, and
did administer death unto all those who opposed them.
Alma 57:20
20 And as the remainder of our army were about to give way
before the Lamanites, behold, those two thousand and sixty were
firm and undaunted.
Alma 57:21
21 Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of
command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it
was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said
unto me that their mothers had taught them.
Alma 57:22
22 And now behold, it was these my sons, and those men who had
been selected to convey the prisoners, to whom we owe this great
victory; for it was they who did beat the Lamanites; therefore
they were driven back to the city of Manti.
Alma 57:23
23 And we retained our city Cumeni, and were not all destroyed
by the sword; nevertheless, we had suffered great loss.
Alma 57:24
24 And it came to pass that after the Lamanites had fled, I
immediately gave orders that my men who had been wounded should
be taken from among the dead, and caused that their wounds should
be dressed.
Alma 57:25
25 And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my
two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of
blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our
great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was
not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there
one soul among them who had not received many wounds.
Alma 57:26
26 And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole
army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand
of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to
the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in
that which they had been taught to believe--that there was a just
God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved
by his marvelous power.
Alma 57:27
27 Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they
are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust
in God continually.
Alma 57:28
28 And now it came to pass that after we had thus taken care of
our wounded men, and had buried our dead and also the dead of the
Lamanites, who were many, behold, we did inquire of Gid
concerning the prisoners whom they had started to go down to the
land of Zarahemla with.
Alma 57:29
29 Now Gid was the chief captain over the band who was appointed
to guard them down to the land.
Alma 57:30
30 And now, these are the words which Gid said unto me: Behold,
we did start to go down to the land of Zarahemla with our
prisoners. And it came to pass that we did meet the spies of our
armies, who had been sent out to watch the camp of the Lamanites.
Alma 57:31
31 And they cried unto us, saying--Behold, the armies of the
Lamanites are marching towards the city of Cumeni; and behold,
they will fall upon them, yea, and will destroy our people.
Alma 57:32
32 And it came to pass that our prisoners did hear their cries,
which caused them to take courage; and they did rise up in
rebellion against us.
Alma 57:33
33 And it came to pass because of their rebellion we did cause
that our swords should come upon them. And it came to pass that
they did in a body run upon our swords, in the which, the greater
number of them were slain; and the remainder of them broke
through and fled from us.
Alma 57:34
34 And behold, when they had fled and we could not overtake
them, we took our march with speed towards the city Cumeni; and
behold, we did arrive in time that we might assist our brethren
in preserving the city.
Alma 57:35
35 And behold, we are again delivered out of the hands of our
enemies. And blessed is the name of our God; for behold, it is
he that has delivered us; yea, that has done this great thing for
us.
Alma 57:36
36 Now it came to pass that when I, Helaman, had heard these
words of Gid, I was filled with exceeding joy because of the
goodness of God in preserving us, that we might not all perish;
yea, and I trust that the souls of them who have been slain have
entered into the rest of their God.
Alma 58
Chapter 58
Alma 58:1
1 And behold, now it came to pass that our next object was to
obtain the city of Manti; but behold, there was no way that we
could lead them out of the city by our small bands. For behold,
they remembered that which we had hitherto done; therefore we
could not decoy them away from their strongholds.
Alma 58:2
2 And they were so much more numerous than was our army that we
durst not go forth and attack them in their strongholds.
Alma 58:3
3 Yea, and it became expedient that we should employ our men to
the maintaining those parts of the land which we had regained of
our possessions; therefore it became expedient that we should
wait, that we might receive more strength from the land of
Zarahemla and also a new supply of provisions.
Alma 58:4
4 And it came to pass that I thus did send an embassy to the
governor of our land, to acquaint him concerning the affairs of
our people. And it came to pass that we did wait to receive
provisions and strength from the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 58:5
5 But behold, this did profit us but little; for the Lamanites
were also receiving great strength from day to day, and also many
provisions; and thus were our circumstances at this period of
time.
Alma 58:6
6 And the Lamanites were sallying forth against us from time to
time, resolving by stratagem to destroy us; nevertheless we could
not come to battle with them, because of their retreats and their
strongholds.
Alma 58:7
7 And it came to pass that we did wait in these difficult
circumstances for the space of many months, even until we were
about to perish for the want of food.
Alma 58:8
8 But it came to pass that we did receive food, which was
guarded to us by an army of two thousand men to our assistance;
and this is all the assistance which we did receive, to defend
ourselves and our country from falling into the hands of our
enemies, yea, to contend with an enemy which was innumerable.
Alma 58:9
9 And now the cause of these our embarrassments, or the cause
why they did not send more strength unto us, we knew not;
therefore we were grieved and also filled with fear, lest by any
means the judgments of God should come upon our land, to our
overthrow and utter destruction.
Alma 58:10
10 Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he
would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our
enemies, yea, and also give us strength that we might retain our
cities, and our lands, and our possessions, for the support of
our people.
Alma 58:11
11 Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us
with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he
did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith,
and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.
Alma 58:12
12 And we did take courage with our small force which we had
received, and were fixed with a determination to conquer our
enemies, and to maintain our lands, and our possessions, and our
wives, and our children, and the cause of our liberty.
Alma 58:13
13 And thus we did go forth with all our might against the
Lamanites, who were in the city of Manti; and we did pitch our
tents by the wilderness side, which was near to the city.
Alma 58:14
14 And it came to pass that on the morrow, that when the
Lamanites saw that we were in the borders by the wilderness which
was near the city, that they sent out their spies round about us
that they might discover the number and the strength of our army.
Alma 58:15
15 And it came to pass that when they saw that we were not
strong, according to our numbers, and fearing that we should cut
them off from their support except they should come out to battle
against us and kill us, and also supposing that they could easily
destroy us with their numerous hosts, therefore they began to
make preparations to come out against us to battle.
Alma 58:16
16 And when we saw that they were making preparations to come
out against us, behold, I caused that Gid, with a small number of
men, should secrete himself in the wilderness, and also that
Teomner and a small number of men should secrete themselves also
in the wilderness.
Alma 58:17
17 Now Gid and his men were on the right and the others on the
left; and when they had thus secreted themselves, behold, I
remained, with the remainder of my army, in that same place where
we had first pitched our tents against the time that the
Lamanites should come out to battle.
Alma 58:18
18 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come out with
their numerous army against us. And when they had come and were
about to fall upon us with the sword, I caused that my men, those
who were with me, should retreat into the wilderness.
Alma 58:19
19 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did follow after us
with great speed, for they were exceedingly desirous to overtake
us that they might slay us; therefore they did follow us into the
wilderness; and we did pass by in the midst of Gid and Teomner,
insomuch that they were not discovered by the Lamanites.
Alma 58:20
20 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites had passed by, or
when the army had passed by, Gid and Teomner did rise up from
their secret places, and did cut off the spies of the Lamanites
that they should not return to the city.
Alma 58:21
21 And it came to pass that when they had cut them off, they ran
to the city and fell upon the guards who were left to guard the
city, insomuch that they did destroy them and did take possession
of the city.
Alma 58:22
22 Now this was done because the Lamanites did suffer their
whole army, save a few guards only, to be led away into the
wilderness.
Alma 58:23
23 And it came to pass that Gid and Teomner by this means had
obtained possession of their strongholds. And it came to pass
that we took our course, after having traveled much in the
wilderness towards the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 58:24
24 And when the Lamanites saw that they were marching towards
the land of Zarahemla, they were exceedingly afraid, lest there
was a plan laid to lead them on to destruction; therefore they
began to retreat into the wilderness again, yea, even back by the
same way which they had come.
Alma 58:25
25 And behold, it was night and they did pitch their